


Archangel

by Calcipher763



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2019-06-24 03:56:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 115,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15621996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calcipher763/pseuds/Calcipher763
Summary: It was supposed to be a routine mission, nothing too difficult. Teams RWBY and JNPR had done them several times in the past. However, this one would prove different when an abnormal Death Stalker attacks Weiss and Jaune, taking the young knight down with him. In a skirmish that sends both Grimm and Hunter off a cliff the only remains found are the boy's severed right arm.One year later both teams are still recovering from the emotional lose of their friend. However, as criminal and White Fang activity begin to rise a mysterious figure appears in the night. Calling himself Archangel and sporting a metal are, this vigilante begins attacking both terrorists and Torchwick himself, cutting deeply into their plans.Having gained both the attention of Beacons hunters and the criminal underworld, many begin investigating this mysterious character to unearth his true identity. Who is Archangel? For what purpose does he fight? And more importantly, what is his connection to Weiss Schnee?





	1. Chapter 1

**Hello RWBY fans. So, just a bit of a heads up, this is actually a rewrite of the original first chapter that I had previously posted. After reading a fairly lengthy review left on Doltish Dust I found that I agreed with a great deal of what he said and made some changes to the original chapter. Honestly, I think it’s much better now than it was before. Several questions that would have had obscure answers now have more concrete ones to back them up and I feel Jaune now has a better reason for why he’ll be keeping his identity a secret from his friends for a while. Let me know what you think in your reviews.**

* * *

**Beacon Academy – Emerald Forest – RWBY & JNPR**

Routine; that had been the word choice Professor Ozpin had used when assigning their teams this particular mission. It was supposed to be routine. Teams RWBY and JNPR, having only been at Beacon for three months, had been tasked with hunting down a particular Grimm and eliminating it. Their target was a Death stalker and a particularly nasty one at that. While such a mission would have been given to some of the senior teams with more experience, their showcase at the entrance exams had given Ozpin reason enough to think they were more than capable of handling it. No one could have guessed it would go so horribly wrong.

It had been over an hour since the teams had begun their search. While they had started out optimistic, as the day wore on their patience and tolerance levels had begun to dwindle. You couldn’t blame them for feeling that way. It was a Death stalker after all. Just how hard was it to locate a giant scorpion anyway? Feeling tired and bored from the lack of Grimm in the area the teams had resorted to other means to help them pass the time.

“I spy with my little eye something green,” Ruby said.

“Is it a leaf?” Weiss asked with great annoyance.

“Yea,” Ruby said, her tired voice having lost its usual pep long ago.

“Cheer up guys. I’m sure we’ll find the Grimm before long. I’m honestly surprised we haven’t come across a trail or something,” Jaune said, attempting to encourage everyone.

“Maybe we’d have found it if we weren’t going around in circles?” Weiss said in retort.

“What do you mean?”

“Look,” she said, pointing to a rock wedged into the routes of a nearby tree. On the smooth surface of the rock was a small snowflake, perfectly etched onto its face. “I made that marking twenty minutes ago. We’ve been going in circles. You’ve been leading us in circles,” she accused.

“Uh, sorry, guess my sense of direction is a bit off.”

“Like that’s a surprise,” she growled.

“Don’t be so hard on him, Weiss. You did the same thing to us on our first day,” Ruby chimed in.

“That was a long time ago,” Weiss said in her defense.

“Maybe we should have someone climb the trees and get a better look from up top. Surely we’ll be able to spot something,” Pyrrha suggested.

“Unfortunately, that idea won’t work. The Emerald forest is well known for its thick canopy. I highly doubt we’ll be able to see anything aside from a sea of green,” Ren pointed out.

The conversation quickly devolved as small bickering ensued. Tired, hungry, and at their wits end the teams began fighting amongst each other. Blake, who’d been relatively quiet, began looking around for something that might help. It was by chance that a particular something caught her eye and she quickly interrupted the teams.

“Guys! GUYS!” she yelled, gaining everyone’s attention. “Look.”

Confused, and perhaps a little hopeful, the two teams followed Blake to a large clearing not far from their current position. While they’d passed through several clearings during the course of their search none of them had been quite this chaotic.

Trees on either side had either been knocked over or completely uprooted. Large symmetrical holes on both sides dug deep into the earth and a deep rut ran the course of the clearing. If they had ever needed proof, they were on the right track this was it.

“A Death stalker did this? Just how big is it?” Jaune asked, gazing in petrified awe at the scene.

“Certainly something bigger than we’re used to,” Blake commented, realizing now why Professor Ozpin had sent two teams to kill the creature.

“These tracks are fresh,” Ren said, having stooped down to inspect the holes in the ground,” I’d say we’re not too far behind.”

“Alright, everyone stick close. We don’t know how big this thing really is. With any luck we’ll take it by surprise and catch it off guard. Let’s go,” Jaune said, once more leading the charge.

The teams followed the trail, their mood livening thanks to having finally found some proof that they were on the right path. Aside from this, however, some aspects of the trail left the more experience members feeling uneasy. The toppled trees were not a big surprise, though the fact that there were so many was odd to say the least. Even the foot holes and rut in the ground were much larger than was normal for a Death stalker. What’s more Death stalkers were solitary creatures who were more prone to hiding out in dark places such as caves rather than stalking around in the open.

“Huh?” Jaune said, bringing the group to a halt.

“What wrong?” Ruby asked.

“The trail, it’s disappeared,” he said.

“Leave it to Arc to get us lost again,” Weiss complained.

“No, I mean the trail is gone. It ends here.”

True to his words the trail had disappeared. They had followed it the edge of a cliff were a steep drop led to more of the forest down below. Glancing over the edge Jaune had a flashback to his initiation at Beacon and felt his stomach starting to churn.

“Where’d it go?” Ruby asked.

“It’s a lumbering tank with pinchers. It can’t just disappear,” Yang commented.

“You don’t suppose it leapt off the edge, do you?” Jaune suggested.

“I highly doubt that. Even with how large it is I doubt a creature like that could have survived the fall.”

“That is of course assuming it’s a regular Death stalker and not something else,” Blake pointed out, putting to words what they were all thinking.

Everyone exchanged wary glances before splitting up to check the surroundings. With any luck they’d pick up on its trail again. Weiss walked along the edge, gazing down onto the forest below. Even from this height it was still difficult for her to make out anything aside from the thick canopy of trees below. For a moment she thought she noticed something that looked like a clearing and stooped down to try and get a closer look. As soon as she shifted her footing, however, the ground beneath her gave way.

“Ahhhh!” she screamed, gravity having taken hold of the heiress.

“Weiss!” Jaune yelled, leaping to her aid grabbing hold of her hand only to be pulled down with her.

While their teammates rushed to help them they were too late. Both Huntsman had disappeared into the trees below.

* * *

 

“Oww,” Weiss groaned, picking herself up into a sitting position, “Well, that was graceful.”

A quick check showed that nothing was damaged or even slightly bruised for that matter. While the fall had been a long one she’d been lucky enough to land on something soft. Thinking back on it she did recall Jaune attempting to save her at the last minute only to come tumbling down with her. Speaking of which where was the big buffoon?

“Arc? Arc, where are you?”

“Here,” came his muffled groans.

“Oh!” Weiss said, leaping to her feet. That would explain the soft landing.

Jaune picked himself, dazed but otherwise unharmed. Thank the Goddess for his near inexhaustible aura reserves. _Why is it whenever I’m with Weiss I somehow manage to land on my face?_ he thought to himself. While the drop had been a long one his training with Pyrrha had been invaluable to him. What might have killed him before or left him with several broken bones had been diminished greatly by his aura. Focusing it on on his front he’d managed to shield himself from the effects of the impact. The same could not be said for his back and spine.

“Good job Arc. Once again your bumbling has managed to make things worse for us.”

“Me? Excuse me, Ice Queen, but which of us fell off the cliff? The only reason I fell down here was because I was trying to save you,” Jaune countered with obvious annoyance.

“I wouldn’t have fallen if you hadn’t lost the trail.”

“I didn’t lose the trail, it just stopped,” he argued back. “Forget it, lets just try to find a way back to our teams.”

“At least we can agree on that,” Weiss huffed.

Jaune took a look around, taking in their surroundings. The first thing that popped out was the cliff. With how high and steep it was they weren’t going to be going back up that way, not without some climbing gear. The next thing that garnered his attention was the clearing they were standing in.

“Hey Weiss, I found the trail,” he said.

Sure enough the trail that had ended at the cliff face continued on down here. There were several differences that caught his attention causing him to speculate on what they were hunting.

“One thing’s for sure, its still alive. Look at the depth of these holes. It must have landed here before continuing on,” he said, comparing the foot holds to the others and noticing the large difference between them.

“Its obvious this is more than we can handle. Let’s hurry up and find out teams before it gets too dark or worse we run into some other Grimm.”

“Hold on a minute, I have a better idea. Let’s follow the trail and track this thing to its lair.”

“Are you out of your mind? Did you take that impact with your head?” Weiss asked, exasperated.

“No, hear me out. I’m not suggesting we try and kill it on our own. Far from it. I’d say we can agree that, despite our present skills we’re no match for this thing. What I’m suggesting is we track down where it’s hiding then find our teams and come back to finish it off. It’ll give us an edge and afford us the element of surprise.”

As much as she hated to admit it Jaune had a solid plan. His logic was sound and, assuming it worked, it would give them a greater advantage over the Grimm. While she wasn’t too keen on spending an extended amount of time with Jaune things could have been worse. Had she fallen down all by her lonesome or with Ruby, Yang, or Goddess forbid Nora, they might be too gung-ho to want to fight the creature without any backup.

“Alright, lead the way,” she said.

Jaune happily took the lead, taking out his sword and shield should they encounter any Grimm along the way. For the most part their journey was a silent one which Weiss greatly appreciated. The less flirting Jaune attempted to do with her the better. After a while, though, she started to notice something odd about the boy. He wasn’t silent simply because he was focused. Rather, he seemed on edge.

“Something bothering you Arc?” she asked.

“It’s just, something about this mission seems odd. I don’t know why but I get the feeling we’re about to face an unusual Death stalker, one that isn’t quite like the rest.”

“While I hate to admit it, I think you’re right. Nothing about this has been normal.”

“Yea, that and I’ve been getting the feeling we’re being hun- Watch out!” he yelled.

Weiss had just enough time to jump out of the way as a large stinger impaled itself into the ground. Pulling out her rapier she prepared for the fight but was momentarily thrown off guard by what she saw. They had indeed been right; the Death stalker they were hunting was no ordinary Grimm but what she saw was far from what she’d expected.

The usual colors of the creature’s stinger and pinchers was not that of the usual gold but had been changed to a sickly green. Long spikes protruded from body as well as its pinchers. What’s more it was noticeably bigger than other Death stalkers. Its eyes glowed in the same sickly green as it’s stinger and pincers and while she couldn’t be certain it felt as if the creature was giving off a murderous aura, almost as if it wanted to kill them.

“Weiss, run, I’ll distract it.”

“What, are you crazy Arc?”

“No, think about it for a second. My weapons and armor will only weigh me down. Any attempt for me to escape would be useless. I have a better chance of surviving by keeping it occupied. You’ll be able to find our teams and bringing them back here.”

“Fat chance of that happening. While I don’t particularly like you I’m not so shallow that I would abandon you, especially against this.”

Jaune smiled a bit, noticeably happy at the thought that the Ice Queen tolerated him enough to stick around. The moment was short lived, however, as the Death stalker let out an unholy screech before rearing back it’s tail. Jaune just barely managed to leap out of the way before it impaled its stinger into the ground. The act proved compromising for the creature as it soon found itself trying to retract its tail with little luck.

“Weiss!”

“Don’t yell at me, I see it,” Weiss snapped.

Activating a glyph Weiss shot a stream of ice towards the creature. Soon a large pillar erupted around its tail, ensnaring it further. Following up with her attack Jaune charged forward, taking a running leap before bringing his sword down on the stinger. With his weight and momentum behind the strike it was more than enough to sever the stinger completely.

“Yes!” Jaune yelled in triumph.

In answer the Death stalker shrieked in pain and rage. Its eyes flashed red before reverting back to the sickly green as it reared back, barring its pinchers in a threatening manner.

“Oh crude, run!” Jaune screamed, realizing his folly.

He didn’t have to tell Weiss twice. They both took off at a rapid pace with the Grimm not too far behind. While they had gained a considerable lead the creature was quickly gaining.

“Way to go Arc, now its trying to kill us!” Weiss yelled.

“Don’t blame me, you’re partly to blame! I was only following up on your attack!”

“I was attempting to trap it so we could get away and find our teams! I never asked you to sever its tail!”

She had him there. What’s more the creature was getting closer. They couldn’t out run it forever, not unless someone was distracting it. Steeling himself he stopped in his tracks and turned to face the beast.

“Hey ugly!” he yelled, picking up a rock and throwing it at the Death stalker. By pure chance he hit it in one of its numerous eyes, garnering its undivided attention. “Oh crude.”

Now its sole target the creature made a beeline for Jaune. Hoping to slow it down he headed into the forest where the tree line appeared thicker. While practical in theory this proved useless to him as the Death stalker smashed its way through, unimpeded by the trees. Seeing this Jaune ran faster, forcing his muscles to pull him further and further away from the monster. It wasn’t long before yet another ravine came into view and he had another reckless idea pop into his head.

Slowing his pace down just enough to garner the creature’s attention he slide towards the edge, grabbing hold of it just before he went over. The Death stalker, blinded by its rage, didn’t see the ravine until it was too late. The creature screeched in futility as it plummeted to the depths below.

“Jaune Arc one, Death stalker zer- ahhh!” he yelled as the rock crumbled from underneath his hands.

Jaune thought his was dead until a hand reached out to grab his. He slammed against the rock face but was otherwise relived to have been saved.

“Thanks Weiss,” he said.

“Shut up and hang on,” she groaned, attempting to pull them up. This almost backfired as her grip began to slip, threatening to send them both to join the Death stalker in its grave below.

“Weiss! Jaune!” they heard Ruby yell.

“Ruby, over here!” Weiss yelled back. As soon as she said that he grip slipped a little more prompting her to scream, “hurry!”

“Weiss, I need you to listen to me,” Jaune said, looking down into the darkness beneath them.

“Not now Arc. I’m trying to concentrate on keeping us alive,” she groaned.

“My grip is slipping. I don’t think I’m going to make it.”

“We’re going to make it Jaune, just hold on a little longer.”

Weiss’ grip on the edge began to slip even more. Despite this her other hand tightened over Jaune’s gloved one. She could feel both of them slipping, threatening to send them both to a watery grave down below. Her finger’s ached from the strain and as she closed her eyes to concentrate she felt the last vestige of her grip loosen.

It was a strange feeling, the weightlessness that came with freefall. It was like being suspended in midair just before gravity took hold. For a moment Weiss felt a sense of freedom more potent than anything she’d ever experienced. Then, all at once, gravity took hold as it yanked her violently downward. With her hand reaching out for the edge that was growing further and further away she had almost conceded herself to their fate with Ruby’s hand shot over the edge and latched onto hers.

“I’ve got you,” she groaned.

“It’s about time,” Weiss said, attempting to hide her relief behind her snarky tone.

“Weiss you seriously need cut back on the snacks,” Ruby said, straining to pull her friends upward.

“Excuse me!” Weiss shouted.

Ruby said nothing aside from groan as she pulled Weiss back onto solid ground. The ordeal was far from over as she attempted to yank Jaune back up as well with Ruby reaching out her hand to help.

“Jaune, grab my hand,” Ruby said.

“I’m trying but my grip is slipping,” he said as the slick leather of his glove inched out of Weiss’ grip.

“Just hang on, you’re almost there,” Weiss said, doing her best to pull him back up.

Inches from Ruby’s hand he strained for his fingers to meet hers.

“Weiss I- “

He never finished. All at once his hand left hers and he was gone. Weiss looked on in stunned horror. The last image in her mind was the startled disbelief on his face. It was a moment before she realized Ruby had a hold on her, struggling to keep her from going over the edge as she reach out into the dark depths, despite to pull him back. It was too late. He was gone.

* * *

**Beacon Academy – Headmaster’s Office – Ozpin**

Three weeks. In three weeks their search had come up empty. However, to say that they had come up empty was an understatement. In truth they had found something. Aside from the Arc family sword and shield that had been a staple for the young man’s weapon arsenal they’d also found his right arm. The rest of the body which it had once been attached to was nowhere to be found.

Ozpin starred into the dark depths of his coffee. The mission had been nothing short of tragic. While teams RWBY and JNPR had been successful in dispatching the Death stalker they’d paid a heavy price. The emotional damage sustained by all members, especially Weiss Schnee, was something that he doubted any of them would fully recover from.

While officially the search for Jaune Arc had been halted Ozpin himself still held out hope for the boys possible resurface. When they’d found the arm most had assumed it was severed by the razor sharp pincers of the Death stalker, its final act of defiance against those who had sent it to a watery grave. However, upon closer inspection it was revealed that the arm had been sawed off. After examining the sword, they found traces of Jaune Arc’s blood on the blade. It seemed the boy had sawn off his own arm but why?

“Professor Ozpin?” Glynda Goodwitch’s voice broke his concentration.

“Sorry, just deep in thought.”

“The Arc family has arrived,” she said.

“I see. I’ll see them shortly. How are preparations coming along?”

“Everything for the memorial is ready. We’re allowing any and all students who were close friends with Jaune Arc to attend.”

“Speaking of which, how is Miss Schnee?”

“She appears to be holding it together though I’m worried that this is simply a front she’s putting on to conceal her true feelings,” Glynda said with obvious worry.

“I can’t say I blame the child. What happened out there, what she’s experienced, is something we can never truly prepare them for. I think we’ll all be putting a brave face on at today’s ceremony.”

Glynda merely nodded before turning towards the elevator. Looking at her Ozpin noticed that the serious expression she usually wore was not there. It didn’t really surprise him. While such a face was something she had found useful to her as a teacher today she needed to be more sympathetic. One of her students, and in a sense one of her children, had died. No one could hide their true feelings today, not unless they really tried. 

* * *

**Beacon Academy – Team RWBY dorm – Weiss**

Weiss stumbled into the dorm and headed straight for the bathroom. She turned on the shower, waiting for the water to warm as she stripped off the black dress she’d worn for the memorial service. As she undressed she glanced over at her reflection in the mirror and stopped. Usually when she saw her reflection she saw herself. The confident, skilled heiress of the Schnee family who could overcome any obstacle and was well on her way to proving she was beyond her father’s control. Now she could barely even look at the woman starring back at her. It was like she didn’t even recognize that person.

It had only been a few minutes since the service ended and but the toll it had taken on her was immense. It had been a long time since she’d had to wear black. She never cared for that color. In comparison to her skin it always seemed to make her look pasty. However, she’d worn it without complaint or care once for her Grandfather Nicholas’ funeral and now for-

She shook her head, attempting to push the event out of her mind. She didn’t want to think about. It couldn’t be true. Seeing Jaune’s family there, his mother, father, and all seven of his sisters, it was almost enough to cause her to break down in front of them. She kept a brave face but all the while she could feel her thinly veiled mask cracking.

One at a time each of the family members took turns speaking about Jaune. His mother and a couple of his sisters had a difficult time making it through their speeches. She couldn’t blame them. They then opened it up for friends of his to speak as well. Pyrrha had been one of the first but she broke down crying almost immediately and was led off the stage by Blake. Ruby spoke of course as did her sister and the members of his team. Even Cardin Winchester offered some words of admiration which surprised her most of all.

The entire time Weiss felt as if everyone was watching her, waiting to see if she would stand and speak. It wasn’t true, of course, but that didn’t dissuade the feeling. Try as she might she couldn’t bring herself to stand. She wanted to say something, anything that might offer his family words of comfort but she only felt hollow. She had barely even tolerated the guy and now he was gone.

Lastly Professor Ozpin stood to speak and it was about this time that she began to feel sick. The moment it was over she rushed back to the dorms, frightened that her stomach might expel everything she’d eaten in the last few hours.

Gingerly she stepped into the shower. The water was cold, abrasive, but Weiss didn’t notice the temperature. In fact, she didn’t feel anything. All she could think about was the memorial, Jaune, and his final moments. She could still see his face, his expression etched into the deepest recesses of her mind. _Was he in pain_ she wondered to herself. _Did he suffer? Did the cold water sooth his pain?_ It was hard to tell. It had been so dark and deep that it could have been a long while before he ever reached the river below.

 _I did everything I could_ she told herself. _There was nothing more I could have done._

 _“You know that’s not true”_ a voice that sounded like hers said in her head. _“You know you could have done more. He’s dead and it’s all your fault.”_

“Shut up,” she mumbled.

 _“He’s dead and it’s all your fault,”_ it said again.

“Shut up,” she spoke louder.

_“He’s dead and it’s all your fault!”_

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” she screamed, covering her ears.

She dropped to the ground, hot tears streaming down her face. Despite her efforts she could still hear the voice echoing in her mind _it’s all your fault._ It wasn’t true. He had let go of her hand. There was nothing she could have done. She never wanted him to die. _And yet he is_ the voice responded in kind.

“Weiss? Weiss, are you okay?” Ruby’s voice called from outside.

Weiss couldn’t answer. Her voice was cut out by her sobs. She merely dug her face into her arms to try and hide the tears. Naturally Ruby did what she usually did and opened the door. Her concern for her partner, teammate, and friend being such that she took her silence as a red flag.

“Weiss?” Ruby said, seeing the girl sitting on the shower floor. Shortly after the water was turned off and Weiss felt the embrace of a towel being wrapped around her naked form. “Weiss, what’s wrong?”

“Ruby,” she managed to sob.

“I’m here,” she said.

“It’s all my fault.”

“No, it’s not.”

“It is! Jaune’s dead and it’s all my fault!”

“It’s alright,” Ruby said, embracing Weiss in a hug that showed she didn’t even notice the water dripping from her friend, “everything’s going to be alright.”

Unable to hold it back Weiss clutched onto Ruby, drowning her sobs in her friend’s corset. After a long cry and a much needed group hug from the rest of her team Weiss crawled into bed and hide beneath the covers. All night long her dreams were accosted by images of Jaune being chased by the Death stalker before shifting into images of him missing his right arm while his other one pointed at her as he spoke _it’s all your fault_. It would be a long time before Weiss ever had a dreamless sleep again.

* * *

**Anima – Medical facility, somewhere in Mistral – Jaune**

Jaune cracked open an eye before quickly closing it. The bright light that hung overhead was blinding and burned his eyes to look at. His body felt heavy and weak and his mind was swimming. He knew who he was, that much was for certain, but the rest of details were still foggy. His lungs burned every he took a breath and, for some reason he couldn’t quite describe, he felt somewhat off, almost imbalanced. Before long the sound of heavy footsteps drew his attention.

“You’re awake. How are you feeling?” a man with a strange accent asked.

“Where am I?” Jaune asked.

“You at my laboratory in Mistral. You were barely alive when I found you.”

“Mistral?” Jaune asked, confused.

“Yes,” the man said, forcing open his eyelids before shinning a bright light into each. “Your pupil dilation is normal. Good. Any aches or pains?”

“My lungs feel like they’re burning,” Jaune said.

“I’m not surprised. You nearly drowned.”

“I almost drowned?” he repeated, the information new to him.

“Indeed. Tell me, what do you remember?”

Jaune took a moment to try and retrace his thoughts. He knew his name and that he was the leader of team JNPR at Beacon. They’d been hunting a Death stalker when he and Weiss Schnee were separated from the rest of the group. They’d been attacked by the creature and he’d lured it to a ravine where it went over the edge. He’d gone over to and would have joined it if Weiss hadn’t caught him. Unfortunately, her grip was slipping and, in an attempt to save her life, he let go. He spoke all of this out loud while his benefactor silently listened.

“I see. Jaune, could you lift both arms for me please?”

While he thought his request was odd, Jaune decided to humor the man and proceeded to lift both arms. His left arm came up like normal but for some reason his right arm wouldn’t respond. Try as he might it wouldn’t move. Frustrated, Jaune glanced over, expecting to see it restrained. He was shocked and horrified to see nothing there. Nothing aside from his bandaged shoulder where it should be connected to the rest of him.

“My arm. Where the hell is my arm!” Jaune yelled.

“Calm down please.”

“What the hell did you do to my arm!?!”

“Jaune, calm down! Think back. What happened after you fell into the ravine?”

He thought back. He remembered falling into the rushing waters down below. It had felt like smashing against a raging concrete block but he didn’t have time to appreciate the feeling. He struggled to keep himself above the surface as the waters dragged him further and further away. Then, without warning, he felt something drag him under the water. Whatever it was had latched itself onto his arm and was stronger than him.

Kicking with all his might he looked down to see what had snagged him and was horrified to see several pairs of sickly green eyes starring up at him. The Death stalker was alive and it was out for revenge. He took his sword out in his left hand and attempted to fight it off but the water made his movements sluggish. For a moment he thought it was the end for him. This was how he would die, dragged to the depths by a Grimm.

Somehow that thought had elicited a reaction from him, one he didn’t recognize. It was a strange feeling, a desperate feeling, a need to survive. With his sword in hand he looked to the arm the creature had latched onto. If it wanted it so much it could have it. Bracing himself he dug the blade into his arm, sawing through the flesh until he had completely severed it. Amidst the bloody water he saw the Grimm’s eyes slowly fade into the darkness before he faded out as well.

“I- I cut it off,” Jaune said, mortified by his realization.

“You did what you needed to survive,” the man said.

“Why am I here? I was in Vale, at Beacon. Why am I in Mistral?” he asked, turning his anger on his savior.

“You were dying. Under the current conditions it would have been almost impossible for the medical facilities in the area to transport you safely let alone ensure your survival. Here I could do both. I was able to keep your life signs stable on my personal transport before bringing you here. All things considered you’re lucky to be alive. You have some aura, even for a huntsman in training.”

“My team, my family, do they know where I am?”

“I’m afraid I can’t say. I was more concerned with preventing you from going into the light.”

“I need to contact them, let them know I’m safe.”

Jaune attempted to sit up but found his body was too weak. The past events had taken more out of him than he’d realized.

“You mentioned you were hunting a Grimm, correct?”

“Yes, why do you ask?”

“It was no ordinary Grimm, was it?” he asked, the question sounding more like a statement, like he already knew.

“What are you getting at?”

“The Death stalker, what did it look like?”

“I don’t know, like a Death stalker. Look it up I’m sure there are thousands of pictures on the web,” Jaune replied in annoyance.

In response the man lifted Jaune up into a sitting position. His eyes, which were level with his own, bore into him. The serious, intimidating aura they gave off was enough to make him fear for his life all over again.

“What did it look like?” he growled.

“It was different,” Jaune said, finding the words spilling out of his mouth like the water he had nearly drowned in. “It was green and it had spikes growing out of its body.”

“Was it aggressive?”

“Very, like it intended to kill us on the spot.”

“Hmm,” he said, gently setting Jaune back on the table.

“You know what it is, don’t you?” Jaune said. “Please, tell me. What was that thing?”

“Mr. Arc, I’d like to make a proposition for you,” the man said. “It’ll be a few weeks before your body is healed enough for you to return home. Also, if you’d like, I can make a new arm for you to replace your old one. I’ll contact Professor Ozpin at Beacon and have you on the first transport back to Vale. No doubt your family and team will be thrilled to know you survived.”

“Or…” Jaune said, sensing that there was more.

“That creature, that Death stalker, was no ordinary Grimm. It was not something that occurs naturally, though, to be honest there’s nothing natural about the Grimm. I know who created that monster and, while I’ve made a great effort to stop him in the past, I’ve been unable to do much from my position. I need a field agent, Mr. Arc, someone who can be my eyes, ears, and even muscle at times when I cannot.

This is, of course, is need to know information. I can’t tell you anything further without putting your life as well as the lives of those around you at risk. As such I need to know now which path you’d prefer to take. Regardless of which, there is no going back.”

Jaune was silent for a moment. He was eager to rejoin his team and let them all know he was alive and well yet he sensed something else, something his benefactor wasn’t telling him.

“You say I have a choice but somehow I don’t buy that. I get the feeling it was simply a formality, something to give me the impression that I have a control over what comes next. You say I can return home but you’d much rather I stayed and worked for you, don’t you?”

“You’re very sharp, Mr. Arc. That’s something most people wouldn’t have realized, especially considering your grades.”

“My grades? You’ve looked at my student file?”

“Oh, I’ve done more than that. The moment I discovered who you were I began doing some research of my own. Your transcripts, while impressive, are fake. It’s not something that can be easily spotted but, given your combat experience, the lies become very distinct.”

“Why help me then? It’s obvious I’m far from the pinnacle of Beacon’s finest. Why ask me to be a field agent when you know for a fact I have no business attending a school for Hunters?”

“Because, Mr. Arc, grades and transcripts can only tell you so much. Sure, memorizing specific facts and dates may gain you access to some of the more prestigious schools and academies here on Remnant, but that is nothing compared to the sheer power of natural instinct and ability.”

“Pardon me if I come off as rude but that natural instinct and ability caused me to slip off a cliff and nearly drown. I’m far from the ideal field agent candidate.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. I know Ozpin quite well. He and I were once good friends and I can tell you that he’s encountered more than his fair share of men and women who were willing to forge their transcripts in an effort to become Hunters either to fulfill a lifelong dream or gain a prestigious lifestyle. No doubt he was able to pick yours out without much difficulty.

The fact that he didn’t kick you out but rather allowed you to remain tells me he saw something in you, something no one else was able to discern. He saw the potential that lay dormant in you, young man.”

“I think you’re mistaken. I’m no hunter and without my other arm I never will be.”

“Quite feeling sorry for yourself!” the man barked, causing Jaune to jump painfully on the table. “You may have one less arm, this is true, but think about what you had to go through. You willingly sacrificed it on the slim chance that you might survive. The sheer amount of mental fortitude and will power needed not just to commit to the act as well as cling to life like you did is something that no Hunter Academy can teach. It’s something you either learn or are born with.”

“That’s a wonderful pep talk sir, I really appreciate it, but it won’t stop me from seeing my friends and family.”

“Perhaps not but your fateful return will surely put all their lives in danger.”

Jaune looked at the man’s steely gaze, perplexed by what he had said. Was he threatening him? Was he trying to suggest that, if he went home he’d make sure to get even with him for not conceding to his offer?

“What are you getting at?” he asked, testing the waters.

“I told you before that the Grimm you faced was no ordinary Grimm. The truth is the man who created it is- was an old colleague of mine. No doubt once he learns of your existence, of how you managed to destroy one of his creations, he’ll come after you. You may have gotten lucky with the first but the ones following won’t be so simple to take out. He’ll target you, your team, your family, anyone he thinks he can use against you.”

“Well if that’s the case then I need to warn the others,” Jaune argued.

“They’ll be fine.”

“What? Why? How am I different?”

“Because you’re the weak link,” he said, the words falling on Jaune like a tone of bricks. “I’ve already looked into the backgrounds of your other team members as well as your sister team. Needless to say they either have skill, family connections, or both at their disposal. Going after any of them would be too costly to him.”

“So in other words because I’m the weakest, I’m the easiest to target,” Jaune concluded.

“I’m afraid so,” he said.

Jaune was silent for a moment. While he desperately wanted to return home to his family and team, his fantasies were quickly becoming overrun by images of the Grimm. No doubt his team would be able to weather the storm but what about his family? Aside from his father only a couple of his older sisters had any hunter training. Would that be enough? Against the monstrosity he had faced down, would they be able to survive?

“If I said yes to your offer, would I be able to see my family and team again?”

“Once we’ve brought him to justice, I don’t see why not but I can’t guarantee the mission will be easy. There’s no telling just how long it will take to track him down and even then there’s still the matter of bringing him to justice.”

“So, I guess this is what my life has become. I make one mistake and I wind up becoming a one armed delivery boy,” Jaune said mockingly.

“Who says this is where your Huntsman career ends?”

“I’d think it’s pretty obvious from the shape I’m in. I can’t exactly hold a sword with one arm.”

“True but that doesn’t mean I can’t give you a replacement,” he said with a smile.

“You mean a prosthetic?” Jaune asked, hope evident in his voice.

“Indeed but first let me ask, is this your confirmation that you’re agreeing to help me?”

“I don’t have much choice in the matter,” he said glumly.

“It isn’t a matter of whether or not you have a choice. It’s a matter of which option is more advantageous. Now then, seeing as how you’ll officially be working for me I think it’s only fair that I tell you who we’re going after. Hs name is Doctor Merlot. He was a well known and well respected geneticist but his fascination with the grimm led many to distance themselves from him, myself included.”

“Never heard of him,” Jaune said.

“I’m not surprised. Not too many remember him these days.”

“I take it you’re a doctor yourself?”

“Indeed. I am Doctor Lazarus and today is the first day of your new life,” he said with a warm smile.


	2. Rise from the Ashes

**Hello RWBY fans. Sooo, after the resounding response to the upload of the first chapter of my new fanfic here I couldn’t help myself and immediately began work on the second chapter. Now I’m sure you’re wondering what my definition of resounding is (if not then consider it a bonus). Well, it consisted of 250 views, 40 follows, & 35 favorites ALL ON THE FIRST DAY!**

**Yea, so you can see why I was too excited to hold off on writing the second chapter. Needless to say I’m eager to start work on the others but I’ll be sure to update World War Remnant first before dropping chapter three.**

* * *

**One Year later…**

**Vale – Therapy Session – Weiss**

“Weiss, are you listening?” the calm voice of Dr. Wong asked.

“Oh, sorry, my mind was elsewhere. What was the question again?”

“I was asking if you’ve been having the dreams lately?” she asked with practiced patience.

The dreams Dr. Wong had been referring to were the reoccurring nightmares Weiss had been plagued with ever since the memorial of her now deceased classmate Jaune Arc. They had always been the same, though some of the details varied with each iteration. While this didn’t really matter what had concerned her was the effect it had been having on her daily life. The nightmares had led to a lack of sleep which had led to an inability to focus in class. From there her grades began to drop and before long her father began calling her.

Jacques Schnee, the head of the Schnee family and CEO of the SDC, had begun interfering in her life not so much out of a concern for his daughter’s well being but more so out of the negative image it would paint of heir family if word got out about her condition. While he had wanted to drag her back to Atlas where he could closely monitor her, Weiss had refused to give up the freedom she’d fought so hard to obtain. They eventually compromised with her going to therapy sessions with a therapist he had referred and who would keep him posted of her progress. In short, he wanted someone he knew could keep this quiet.

In the beginning things had started out slow. Weiss had tiptoed around the issue of her father and was even more opposed to speaking in length about her relationship with the young hunter Jaune. When it came to the dreams, however, Weiss had decided to be completely honest. At first Dr. Wong had prescribed drugs that would enable her to sleep without dreaming at all. Unfortunately, while they worked the drugs also made her feel sluggish. She had stopped taking them after the first day, refusing to use any more drugs and insisting on finding another way.

Surprisingly, her saving grace had come not from Dr. Wong but Lie Ren. The young hunter, sensing Weiss’ plight, had approached her with a suggestion. He taught her a simple meditation technique, a mantra, that would help her to focus her thoughts and feelings. While skeptical at first Weiss was desperate for anything that would help her without limiting her abilities. While it didn’t work the way she’s assumed it would at first, over time she began to notice more and more changes until, eventually, the dreams ceased. From there everything began to improve.

“I haven’t had any for quite some time. I think they may have stopped completely.”

“That’s very good. I’ve also noticed that your grades have returned to what they were prior to the incident,” Dr. Wong said, ignoring the slight flinch Weiss gave at the mention of her past, “your father will be very pleased with your progress.”

“Indeed,” she answered curtly _but for all the wrong reasons_ she thought to herself.

* * *

**Vale – Just off the coast of Vale – Jaune**

Jaune stood on the bridge of the ship, feeling the cool ocean wind caress his face. Like many of the passengers with him his eyes were glued to the tower of Beacon academy as it jutted into the sky. While many of the young men and women who stood there with him gazed upon it with admiration and the hopes of one day becoming a part of such a prestigious school, Jaune’s own feelings were one of guilt.

For the past year Jaune had maintained a life of seclusion. That isn’t to say he never ventured outside the facility where Lazarus had taken him. On the contrary, he had spent many days exploring the many winding streets of Mistral. No, his seclusion had been more metaphorical than literal. After confirming that he had indeed been declared dead Jaune had begun working on a new identity. This meant changing his hairstyle and color, coming up with a convincing backstory, and even choosing a new name.

In conjunction he’d spent a great deal of time training. Thanks to his impressive aura his body had healed faster than anticipated. He’s quickly taken to his new arm and began training his body, increasing his strength and stamina immensely. His combat skills had improved as well as Lazarus had provided him with several state of the art training bots to help him hone his skills. The results of his training, he hoped, would soon speak for themselves.

“-nix,” a man’s voice called out. “Phoenix,” it said again, louder this time.

“Jaune,” Dr. Lazarus said softly, standing next to him.

“Huh?” Jaune said, bewildered by his benefactor’s sudden appearance.

“You weren’t answering to your alias. You need to be more attentive.”

“Sorry, I was distracted,” he answered gazing back up at Beacon’s tower.

Jaune’s voice was considerably lower than it had been previously. It wasn’t that his voice had suddenly changed. On the contrary, it was due to a small device strapped to his throat. Another invention crafted by Lazarus, it was able to disguise his voice by making it several octaves higher or lower and was covered in a stretchy, flesh toned material that made it indistinguishable from the rest of his skin. In truth, you wouldn’t know it was there unless you’d had prior knowledge.

“I see. I heard they had a small memorial plaque placed somewhere in the gardens. You thinking of visiting it?”

“No, no, Gods no. I’d be too nervous of blowing my cover to even step back on the grounds.”

“I don’t think it’s nerves that are keeping you from visiting,” Lazarus pointed out. “So, tell me, what are your plans for this evening?”

“I’ll be stepping out to check in with a few contacts. I’ve also got some potential assistants in mind as well. Once all that’s finished I’ll head to the apartment. If I’m correct you’ve already had my things moved there.”

“Indeed. You’re sure you’ll be fine without me? I’ll only be in Vale for a short time.”

“I’ll be fine Doctor. This is my time to prove myself. If I can’t make it here on my own, then all that time I spent training will have been a waste.”

“Indeed it will be, Jaune.”

“Phoenix,” he corrected.

“Of course,” he answered with a warm smile.

* * *

**Vale – The Cocoa Bean coffee shop – Weiss**

Coffee, one of mankind’s greatest inventions, in Weiss’ humble opinion, of course. There were few things in life she found could relax her quite as well as a good cup of coffee. The Cocoa Bean, not to be confused with her friend Coco at Beacon, was a small shop that served the very best. Weiss had learned long ago that the larger chains often focused on quantity rather than quality and, upon finding this rare gem, she’d frequent it whenever her emotional state began to crack.

Feeling the warm cup in her hand and taking in the alluring scent of the hot brew, she was barely aware of her surroundings. It came as no surprise then when she slammed into something much bigger than her. In a flash her cup flew from her hands, slamming onto the ground and spilling its contents all over the floor. Infuriated by the lose of her addictive comfort she reared her icy fangs on the man responsible.

“Watch were you’re go- “she started but immediately bit off the last half of the sentence before she could finish.

The man standing before her was tall with short, chocolate brown hair that was cut very short, almost military style. His baby blue eyes and adolescent features seemed to complement one another but what had really caught her attention was his lack of limbs. To be more specific, he was missing his right arm. The coat sleeve which should have been occupied dangled lazily at his side, an obvious sign that it was vacant aside from air.

“My apologies miss. I heard them call my name and wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings,” the man said in a mature voice.

“No, no, it’s my fault. I ran into you,” Weiss apologized, attempting to cover up her initial outburst.

“Don’t worry about it. Accidents happen,” he said with a warm smile. “Why don’t I buy you another coffee. I seem to have robbed you of your previous one.”

“No, you don’t need to do that,” Weiss said.

“I insist,” the man said, not waiting for her reply before approaching the counter and purchasing her another cup.

She took it more so out of embarrassment for her actions than gratitude. While she tried to be polite she couldn’t help but find her eyes drifting to the empty sleeve that flapped at his side. How did he lose his arm? Was he prior military or a hunter? The worst part was that it was his right arm. That small detail, while something that would have been overlooked by most, reminded her too much of Jaune. All they’d found of his body was his severed right arm.

“Here you are,” he said, handing her the coffee as he expertly held it alongside his own in his one hand.

“Thank you,” she said, attempting to divert her eyes from his arm.

“My name’s Phoenix Ash, by the way,” he said politely.

“Weiss Schnee,” she replied.

“I figured. Your hair was a dead giveaway,” he said, either ignoring or missing the slight flinch Weiss gave at the word _dead_ , she wasn’t quite sure. “Would you care to join me?” he asked, motioning to a table.

“No, thank you. I actually have a prior appointment,” she lied.

“Another time then,” he said, giving her a curt nod before taking a seat.

Weiss merely nodded before exiting the coffee shop fairly quickly. She didn’t even drink her coffee, instead tossing it into a nearby trashcan as she made her way onto the next airship headed for Beacon. The moment they took off she retreated to the onboard bathroom and locked herself inside.

With the world locked outside she slide to the ground, hot tears streaming down her face as she relived the events that had taken Jaune’s life. She didn’t know why the emotions were coming so hard, so fast. Countless times before she’d encountered people who’d reminded her of Jaune and none of them had affected her quite as powerfully as that man, Phoenix, had. There was something about him that just seemed to give off the same kind of aura Jaune had.

She remained locked in the bathroom until the airship landed and quickly made her way to the dorms. Once inside she made sure she was alone before starting the meditation techniques Ren had taught her. She would get through this. She had come too far, had grown too strong to be defeated so easily. She would prevail. 

* * *

The broken moon of Remnant shone beautifully overhead in the night’s sky. On nights like this couples could often be seen walking through the park, enjoying the cool night air and the wonderful atmosphere. However, with the increase of criminal activities, most notably Roman Torchwick, many people opted to stay inside rather than be caught out in the open. Tonight was no different.

Roman, accompanied by a handful of henchmen, waltzed up to the entrance of a small dust store. The place was dark, the owner having closed shop and gone home for the night not long ago, but that didn’t deter Roman. Raising his cane, he shot the lock, the fire dust exploding in such a manner to not only take off the lock but throw the door off its hinges as well.

“Opps, my bad,” he said jokingly. “Well don’t just stand there. Start collecting the dust and crystals. I want this whole place cleaned out within ten minutes,” he instructed.

The henchmen silently grimaced but nonetheless did as they were told. Having to work for Roman Torchwick was a new low but they didn’t have much choice in the matter. Their employer, Junior, had loaned them out to Roman in order to settle an old debt. While they weren’t above performing some less than legitimate dealings, Junior at least held their lives in higher regard than his profits. Roman simply cared about himself, period.

As they began filling their individual canisters with dust, the furthest of the men noticed something rather odd. Looking towards the magazine rack situated towards the rear of the store he saw a small figure dressed in a red cape. He stiffened, recalling a story he’d heard of a young girl in a red cape who had thwarted a previous attempt made by Roman to robe a dust shop. The story didn’t end well.

He removed his gun from its holster, slowly moving towards the back. He took careful measured steps, making sure he didn’t make a sound. While their entrance had been anything but subtle, he didn’t want to take the chance that his surprise attack might be thwarted by a small slip up. As he drew closer the cape flapped a little, possibly from an air vent or open door he wasn’t quite sure. His grip on his gun tightened as he bore down on her and with a quick movement he turned her around to come face to face with the barrel.

The broom fell to the ground with a loud clang as the red cloth floated somberly to the ground. The henchman flinched, startled by the sudden outburst, before feeling embarrassed by having been scared by a broom.

“Hey Bob, you alright?” on of his buddies called out.

“Yea, it’s nothing,” he called back, turning to return to his duties.

He was about to return when something else caught his attention. Movement among the shelves. Having already been made a fool of once by the broom he didn’t even bother switching off the safety on his gun as he approached. _Probably just a mouse_ he thought to himself. He barely had anytime to react when he saw the pair of black sneakers as a metal hand connected with his face, knocking him out instantly.

 “Hey Bob, you find something? Bob?” his friend asked, rounding the corner.

The hallway was empty. Aside from the fallen broom handle and red cloth he couldn’t find anyone else. It was strange. He was certain he had seen his friend come down this way. Where had he gotten off to? He checked the hall, looking down each isle in the hopes of spotting him. The moment he was out of view from the rest of the men a firm, cold arm wrapped itself around his neck.

He tried to cry out but the combination of a gloved hand and the unrelenting force of the metal arm cut off any chance of him bringing attention to himself. Slowly his sight faded as he completely blacked out. The moment his body went limp he was dragged silently across the floor before being tied up and stuffed into a broom closet.

“ _Two down, four to go_ ,” the figure said to himself.

* * *

“Hurry it up. That silent alarm will have alerted the police to us and these cops are a bit more responsive than their cousins on the far side of Vale,” Roman instructed.

The men grumbled but otherwise said nothing as they loaded crystals into containers and filled as many vials as they could with dust. Looking around Roman noticed something odd. He was certain he had come here with at least six men so why were there only four?

“Hey, what happened to the rest of you?” he asked. The men looked around before giving him a shrug. “Well, go find them. Honestly, what am I paying you for?”

“You’re not,” one of the men answered.

“Oh yea,” Roman said, unperturbed by his comment.

The men began searching the shop, wary of the fact that any moment the sound of sirens would start making their way towards them. Despite the shop’s small size, they were surprised by how easily it had been for the two men to disappear. Not only that but they couldn’t shake the feeling they were being watched.

As one of the men made it to the back he had the idea to check the broom closet. As soon as he saw his friends tied up inside his confusion cost him precious time to alert his friends. Before he could react, however, a firm hand grabbed the back of his shirt and threw him across the hall. Rather than having his journey end with a face planted against the wall he instead found himself colliding with his companion as the man rounded the corner.

Responding to the sound of his friends another of the henchman rounded the corner, this one having been smart enough to draw his weapon and unlock the safety, before looking to see his assailant. With only the light of the streetlamps illuminating the store’s interior, the figure he saw starring back at him caused his blood to run cold.

Dressed all in black, the figure had a metal arm unlike any make or model he’d seen before, open market or black market. What’s more, his face was completely covered aside from his eyes which appeared to be a mixture of red and orange, giving him an almost animalistic appearance. All at once the figure charged him and instinctively he raised his weapon before opening fire.

To his credit the henchman had progressed further than his companions had. He’d at least managed to put up somewhat of a fight. However, the figure moved with such precision that it was difficult to get a bead on him without missing him completely or worse riddling his friends in the closet full of holes. The moment his adversary was on top of him he heard the sharp sound of scrapping metal as a blade extended outwards from within his metal arm. In one quick movement the metal armed man sliced through the gun, severing it in two, before giving him a roundhouse kick that slammed him against the wall, knocking him out cold.

“Bon voyage, punk,” Roman remarked before firing off a round from the end of his cane.

The explosive charge sailed across the room before colliding with its mark. The nearby shelves and their contents flew out in all directions as the explosion and smoke obscured their vision of the scene. Roman inhaled his cigar with a pleased look on his face. Despite having lost all but one of his henchmen he’d still managed to have the last laugh. No one got the jump on him.

“Grab the crates and move them onto the transport. We’re leaving,” he said.

Before he could leave, however, the smoke parted violently as the figure charged towards him. Strapped to his left arm was a large round shield that collapsed back into a thin metal strip along the length of his arm. This detail escaped Roman, however, as he found himself enthralled in a sword/cane fight with his adversary. With both men engaged in combat the last of the henchman could do nothing but stand back and watch, too afraid to make a move that might cost him his life.

It didn’t take long for Roman to retreat outside and, as his opponent attempted to follow, he fired off three quick shots to distract him. The ploy worked as his adversary was thrown off guard just long enough for him to scale a nearby building and fly off in his airship.

Unperturbed by Torchwick’s escape, the figure instead returned to the shop where the final henchman had collapsed onto the ground. Approaching him, he said nothing before taking him and lifting his body off the ground with one arm.

“What do you want?” the man asked in a panicked voice.

“ _I thought we might have a little chat_ ,” the man’s unnatural voice said before he unsheathed the blade from his wrist. 

* * *

**Beacon Academy – Cafeteria – Weiss**

Weiss walked across the cafeteria hall with her tray of assorted fruit in hand. Having returned to her old regimen, the heiress had made sure to keep a balanced diet to complement her training. As she approached the table where her team sat she took note of each person’s choice of breakfast and saw how each corresponded to their personalities.

Ruby, unsurprisingly, had a tray laden with sugary cereal. A closer inspection would have shown it to be some sort of variation that looked a lot like the chocolate chip cookies she liked to snack on. Yang’s was an assortment of items but it was the sheer volume that caught her attention. Being very active in her training it came as no surprise that she’d have a high calorie diet to balance things out. Blake was different. Aside from her usual cup of tea she also had the vegetarian option which allowed her the choice of fish for her meal.

Weiss took her customary seat next to her team leader before daintily eating her meal. Before long team JNPR joined them and took their usual seats. She glanced glanced across the table to the empty spot across from her. Jaune used to sit there. He would lean across the table, making terrible attempts to flirt with her. While his absence had been difficult to adapt to at first, now it only made her feel slightly guilty to see the empty space every mealtime.

“Have any of you heard the news? Another dust shop was robbed last night,” Pyrrha said, holding up a copy of that mornings paper.

“I bet it was Roman Torchwick. Honestly, what does he want with all that dust?” Ruby asked in an annoyed tone.

“Someone needs to take a stand and teach him some manners,” Yang piped in, slamming her fist into her palm.

Weiss casually rolled her eyes. It never ceased to amaze her that Yang’s solution to any problem was to punch her way though. Honestly, there were more efficient ways around them.

“Apparently someone already did,” Pyrrha replied.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked towards her. Her comment had seemed rather odd.

“What do you mean?” Blake asked, giving voice to all their thoughts.

“Last nights’ robbery was interrupted by an unknown vigilante. All the dust and crystals, along with the robbers in question, were found at the scene. Aside from explosive damage done to the door and interior, nothing was stolen.”

“That’s amazing!” Ruby said excitedly.

“Does it say who it was?” Yang asked, intrigued.

“I bet it was a ninja, like Ren. Someone who could vanish without a trace,” Nora said, making exaggerated martial arts moves.

“That’s actually fairly close to the vigilante’s description,” Pyrrha said, “he apparently appeared out of nowhere, picking the thieves off one by one before engaging in a sword fight with Roman Torchwick. Both of them got away, however, but his hired men were apprehended shortly after by the police.”

“Does it say anything else about him?” Ruby asked, snatching the paper from her friend.

“Not really. He’s described as having worn all black with a metal arm, the eyes of a predatory animal, and a voice that sounded like he was the devil himself.”

“The devil?” Weiss asked, bemused.

“Yes, he apparently questioned one of the henchmen before dropping his name and disappearing into the night. He’s calling himself Archangel.”

“Archangel? That’s a stark contrast to him having ‘the voice of the devil,” Blake pointed out.

Weiss took the paper as it was passed around the table and glanced at the article. The name _Archangel_ certainly seemed like something Jaune would have come up with. Being somewhat similar to his own family name it would come as no surprise to the young heiress if he would have jumped at the chance to bestow such a title on himself. Still, Jaune was dead and the article mentioned nothing that was even remotely similar to his person.

His eyes, skill set, and all around combative abilities were leagues greater than his own had been while he was alive. The only correlations she could find were his metal arm being his right and his use of a shield along with a retractable sword. However, you could chalk those up to simple coincidences. It was obvious they were nothing alike.

In spite of these explanations something still didn’t sit right. She knew next to nothing about this Archangel and hadn’t even met the man but somehow he seemed familiar. Was she going crazy? Was her mind, out of desperation from guilt, looking for something, anything to latch onto to alleviate her of those feelings? Weiss wasn’t sure but of one thing she was certain, things would be a little more chaotic in Vale with this man’s arrival.

* * *

**Vale – Jaune’s Apartment – Jaune**

“You’ve made the papers,” Lazarus said as Jaune walked in through the front door.

“I’m just establishing myself as a presence, nothing you need to worry about,” Jaune said, expecting the doctor to start rebuking him for his actions.

“I’m not mad about that Phoenix, not in the least. What I am curious about, though, is why you targeted Roman Torchwick of all people?”

“Who says I was targeting him? I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit Jaune. If you’d wanted to establish yourself as a presence here, you could have easily stopped a mugging or a robbery. You chose Roman for a reason.”

Jaune sighed and plopped onto the couch across from the Doctor. He knew fairly well that the man never swore unless he was very annoyed. This often happened when Jaune kept something from him, an occurrence that had been commonplace for a while during their first meeting together.

“Roman is a well known name in the underground. Even where I lived it was hard for you to hear about something happening in Vale and not have the image of Roman Torchwick pop into your mind. Knowing that I figured that hunting him down might yield some useful info.”

“You think that he might be able to lead you to Dr. Merlot,” Lazarus concluded in a thoughtful tone.

“Or someone who might be helping him, possibly his supplier of materials. Honestly, if there’s anyone who knows something about a mad scientist genetically modifying the Grimm its Roman.”

“That’s actually some very clever thinking on your part,” Lazarus said to Jaune’s pleasant surprise. “Very well, I’ll allow it but be careful. From what I gather Torchwick isn’t someone to be underestimated.”

“I know. I met with your contact in the police department. According to their records Roman’s activities have become more frequent and bolder over the past year. It’s obvious he’s working for someone.”

“I see. By the way, the article said you had _the voice of the devil_. Care to explain that one to me?”

“Oh, that? I just modified the frequency of my voice modulator,” Jaune said, grasping his neck in a manner that looked like he was massaging it,” I _figured giving myself a more menacing voice would help to add to my overall image_.”

“Alright, but don’t mess with it too much. Constant modifications to the frequency could very well short it out.”

“ _Under_ stood,” he replied as he switched it back.

“Now that I think about it creating another one that automatically has that feature may be more advantageous. What are you plans for the evening?”

“Nothing like last night. No doubt Roman will stay low for a bit. In the mean time I’ll check out a possible lead I have on the men he had working for him. Someone named Junior is apparently their actual employer.”

“Very well. Be careful,” Lazarus said before taking his leave.

* * *

**Hey RWBY fans. Hope you enjoyed reading. I know this chapter may feel likes it’s rushing some of the introductions a little but, in all honesty, I had a lot of room to fill and I didn’t want to simply give you a very short chapter.**

**So already relationships are beginning to be established. Obviously Jaune knows exactly who Weiss is but his attitude is something of an act in order to prevent her from realizing its him. More of their relationship will follow with subsequent chapters so any plot holes you see or questions you might have will probably be answered soon enough.**

**I had a lot of fun coming up with Jaune’s disguise. I knew he needed to be different but not so much that it was comical. I tried to make sure nothing was so over the top that it was outrageous. Simplicity is best.**

**As you might have realized Jaune’s fake name is an obvious reference to what happened to him a year ago. It took me some time to figure out a good name for him that would along with his new image and once I had it the rest fell into place.**

**Hopefully this was enough to sate you for now. Have to get to work on the others. I promise to have more for you next time. I’m thinking of calling the next chapter “Coffee and a Conversation.”**


	3. Coffee and a Conversation

**Vale – The Cocoa Bean – Weiss**

The week flew by in a flash, quickly propelling Weiss towards the weekend and her pilgrimage to her favorite coffee shop. While the week had gone by quickly the one thing that had persisted was the chatter regarding the vigilante Archangel. Weiss didn’t understand how people could become so enamored with someone they knew so little about, especially when that person was known more for his violent way of handling things than for being diplomatic.

On the one hand she could understand his approach. So far the victims had been Roman Torchwick as well as members of the White Fang. Three dust shops within the past week had been hit and each time Archangel had been nearby by, stealthily picking them off before going for the jugular that were their leaders. He always seemed to target them, asking a few questions before moving on before the police arrived. They never printed his questions in the paper and honestly Weiss didn’t care to know why.

Taking her coffee in hand she turned to find a nice quiet spot and immediately noticed a small table near the window. It had only one other occupant, someone who looked oddly familiar. As she drew closer she realized immediately that it was Phoenix, a realization that caused her heart to skip a beat. The guilt she felt from having nearly insulted the one armed man the previous week was still fresh in her mind and it bothered her that she never properly apologized for it.

Of course the matter of his missing limb was not something that went unnoticed. All around she could see others stealing glances back at him before speaking to each other in hushed whispers. While some of them were merely children, a detail that made their actions forgivable, the others were obviously old enough to know better. She scowled, irritated by their lack of decency.

Phoenix himself didn’t seem to be bothered by this fact. Actually, he didn’t even seem to notice. His attention was squarely on the morning paper which he had laid out on the table, occasionally taking a sip of his coffee with his free hand. Taking a calming breath, she approached him until she stood just inches from the table. He didn’t show any sign the he noticed her approach, his eyes still glued to the paper, so she cleared her throat to gain his attention.

“Good morning Mr. Ash,” she said politely.

“Good morning Miss Schnee. How are you today?”

“I’m doing quite well, thank you. Are you here with anyone?”

“No, please take a seat,” he said, gesturing to the empty chair opposite him. “I’d offer to buy you some coffee but I see you’ve already gotten some. Don’t worry, I’ll do my best to refrain from robbing you of your drink,” he said with a pleasant smile.

She graced him with a warm smile of her own before saying, “I wanted to apologize for our previous meeting.”

“Oh?” he said, clearly puzzled by what she said.

“I’m afraid my reaction was less than pleasant. I was quite rude to you and almost said something horrendous.”

 “It’s the arm, isn’t it?” he said matter-of-factly.

“Excuse me?” she asked, bewildered.

In response he shifted his shoulder, causing the limp sleeve to flap lazily at his side. Weiss felt her face turn pink from embarrassment. To her surprise the man simply laughed, a response that was somewhat irritating to her.

“Don’t worry about it. You did nothing wrong. I was the one at fault, not you,” he said.

“But the way I acted- “she started to argue.

“Was a natural reaction and would have made little difference whether I had two arms or none,” he interrupted. “Miss Schnee, I understand what you’re trying to do but, in all honesty, it makes little difference to me.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“You’re not the first person to feel sorry for me simply because of my missing limb and you certainly won’t be the last. Besides, it’s not as if its absence prevents me from living a normal life, it simply means I gain more attention than I would have received prior to its loss.”

“So I take it you’ve noticed everyone starring at you?” she asked, shooting a sharp glare at pair of teenage girls who quickly averted their gaze.

“It’s become so second natured to me that to go a day without someone shooting me a curious look or a child stopping to point before being rebuked by their parents would be a very odd thing.”

Weiss allowed herself a small smile at his comment. Somehow she found it comforting that he would find people’s reactions, albeit rude, completely natural.

“What are you reading?” she asked, quickly taking an interest in the paper.

“An article on Archangel.”

“Oh,” she said with obvious distain.

“Not a fan?” he asked, smiling coyly as he took a sip of his coffee.

“I just don’t see what all the hype is about. People call him a hero but I don’t see him doing anything that could be regarded as heroic.”

“Are you speaking in regards to him not being an official hunter or something else?”

“I’m not sure. Obviously he doesn’t need to be a hunter to be considered a hero. My older sister is part of the military and there are many who rightfully consider her to be a hero. I suppose it’s simply that I don’t consider his actions so far to be inline with my image of a hero.”

“I see,” he said thoughtfully.

“You disagree?”

“Somewhat,” he admitted. “In truth, though, I think the reason people consider him a hero is because he’s standing up for the little guys.”

“So do we. Hunters risk their lives on a daily basis to keep the citizens of the kingdoms safe,” Weiss argued.

“Yes, that’s true, however it’s not entirely cohesive. You’re thinking of things in the large spectrum while I’m speaking of things on the day to day basis. Hunters do indeed risk life and limb to protect the kingdoms but that’s only from outside threats such as the Grimm. Torchwick, on the other hand, is a much more local threat.”

“Then shouldn’t apprehending him be left up to the police?”

“What makes you think they haven’t tried?” Phoenix argued. “Torchwick is a notorious criminal for a reason. He’s skilled, powerful, clever. The reasons for the police’s inability to capture him could range anywhere from a lack of resources to corruption within the force.”

“Then what about the council? Surely they must have taken notice of his dealings.”

“No doubt they have but you have to understand they control the funding that goes towards the police force and if they aren’t showing any results in apprehending Torchwick with the resources they have then what reason would they have for allotting them even more? Unless they start seeing results nothing will change.”

“I see,” Weiss said in a defeated tone.

“That’s why Archangel is having such a powerful impact on the public. He’s doing things that the police are either unable or incapable of doing. They see him as a hero because he stands up for the little guy.”

“I take it you consider him a hero as well?” Weiss asked.

“Not entirely, no,” Phoenix said.

“Really? Why not?” she asked, surprised.

“While his actions are those of someone whose protecting the little guy, he is still a vigilante. He has his motives, his reasons for fighting. The fact that he specifically targets Torchwick makes me wonder if there’s something more going on.”

“You think Torchwick is part of something bigger?”

“Maybe,” Phoenix admitted, “or I could be completely off the mark.”

While Weiss considered his words for a moment, Phoenix’s eyes wondered over to the clock hanging on the wall. He took a quick sip of his coffee before rising from his seat.

“My apologies, Miss Schnee, but I must be going. I have a prior appointment that I have to keep.”

“Of course,” she said, rising from her seat as well. “Perhaps we’ll see each other again?”

“I should hope so. I starting to enjoy our little conversations.”

“As am I. Have a good day Mr. Ash.”

“Phoenix,” he corrected. “Call me Phoenix from now on.”

“The you should call me Weiss,” she replied.

“Only if you insist,” he said with a smirk.

“Indeed I do,” she said, returning his smile. 

* * *

Jaune – now Phoenix – walked with purpose down the road. While his body was on autopilot, essentially taking him to his next destination, his mind had not yet left the café. He was still sitting with Weiss, having the conversation and enjoying himself immensely. He’d often fantasized about having conversations like that with her at Beacon. They never did of course, not for his lack of trying. Weiss was a very guarded and distant person and not someone who’s heart could be so easily melted.

In contrast he felt a little depressed and even somewhat guilty. Though it had been him to whom she was speaking the man she saw him as and the man that lay beneath were two completely different people. He wondered how she might have acted had she known that the man she had been led to believe was dead for the better part of a year was in fact sitting not two feet from her, sharing a cup of coffee and a conversation.

Perhaps the most intrinsic and complex part of that whole scene had been the fact that the entire subject had revolved around himself. There he was, a dead man, using the guise of a one armed man to speak with a young woman whom he’d had a crush on, and still did, while discussing the merits of his actions from when _he_ was acting as a vigilante. Things couldn’t have been anymore complicated.

By the time this philosophical jumble had rattled around in his brain long enough to give him a headache, Jaune found himself standing at the entrance to his destination. He looked up, surprised to see that he had made it there so quickly and a little puzzled by how he had actually gotten there in the first place. He had never been their before and yet somehow his body had just known where to take him.

 _The Club_ one of Vale’s most well known clubs, for all the wrong reasons. After interrogating some of the men who’d been working alongside Torchwick he’ learned that they had been on loan due to a debt owed by the club’s owner. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves Jaune walked inside.

He had to almost physically brace himself the moment he was hit by the loud bass and flashing strobe lights. The music was loud and deafening, making it nearly impossible for him to hear anything let alone hear himself think. He walked over to the bar, taking a seat before motioning towards the bar tender.

“What’ll you’ll have?” the man said.

“Is Junior around?” Jaune asked, racing his voice in the hopes of being heard over the music.

“Who wants to know?” the man asked, looking more like he had read Jaune’s lips rather than having actually heard him speak.

“Someone who has an intriguing proposition for him,” Jaune said, slipping the man a generous amount of lien.

The man said nothing as she pocketed the money and quickly disappeared from view. He took a moment to look around and wasn’t surprised by what he saw. Numerous men, all dressed in the same suits and red tie, like the ones he’d taken down with Torchwick. If he’d ever had any doubts about Junior being the man he was looking for, they were quickly put to bed. Before long the bartender returned with a gruff looking man in tow. He was dressed similar to his me except he wore a black vest over a white shirt and had a beard and mustache.

“I take it you’re Junior?”

“Do I know you?” the man asked.

“Not yet but I have a feeling we’ll be good friends soon enough. Is there a place we can go where we can speak in private?”

Junior nodded, whispering something into the bartender’s ear before leading the way to a private room. Jaune followed him into a well furnished back room that looked to be the VIP lounge. The moment the door clicked shut it was night and day as the music outside was completely cut off. Jaune had to repress a sigh of relief at having finally being able to hear anything at all.

“What is it you want _friend_?” Junior asked, giving him a suspicious look.

“I’ll cut right to the chase. An associate of mine is interested in acquiring your services.”

“Oh really? Why come to me?”

“He’s heard you’re the best.”

“Best at what?”

“Attaining information on difficult to find people,” Jaune said, taking a moment to relax on the plush couch.

“I have ways of getting info that few others can, true, but what’s in it for me?”

“He’s heard you’re in debt to Roman Torchwick- “

“I run a legitimate establishment,” Junior interjected.

“Of course, but, if you were to be running some otherwise unsavory services on the side, he’s willing to wipe the slate clean of any favors you might owe some well known criminals.”

Junior scratched his chin, taking a moment to consider what was being offered. “Tempting, obviously, but I can’t help but wonder why he’d send you rather than coming himself.”

“Simply put, my friend isn’t exactly well liked at the moment. For him to go parading himself around in public would cause some unwanted attention to be attracted his way. What’s more, if he were to be seen coming here, it could cause you more problems than you’d be able to handle, hence why he sent a messenger.”

“Alright, I’ll bit, but I’d prefer it if I conducted business face to face rather than through a third party. You understand right?”

“Of course, in fact that’s essentially why he sent me here. He’d like to meet with you, tonight if possible, after closing hours.”

“We typically don’t close until early in the morning,” Junior said.

“That won’t be a problem. He’s a night owl.”

Pulling himself to his feet Jaune gave him a polite bow before heading towards the door.

“Your friend, how will I know him?” Junior quickly asked.

“Believe me, Junior, you’ll know him. He’s a hard man to miss.”

* * *

Not long after returning from Vale Weiss had found herself roaming the courtyards of Beacon. Having caught up on all of her homework and having no desire to spend the rest of her day cooped up in her dorm room she instead took the time to enjoy the beautiful day and contemplate the conversation she’d had with Phoenix.

The man was interesting to say the least. Seldom had she ever met someone who’d suffered the loss of a limb and yet chose to put it on full display without a care in the world. Most people she’d known had chosen to either replace or hide its absence, sometimes a little of both. One notable person was General Ironwood. While she’d never seen the full extend of his injuries she was aware that the General had lost a considerable amount of his body during a failed mission some years ago. Aside from the small metal piece that adorned his forehead like a bandage the rest of his mechanical parts were hidden beneath his uniform.

She wondered if Phoenix had ever considered a replacement limb. Did he think it more of a hassle than it was worth or was it simply an issue of money? Maybe she could offer to help him acquire one the next time they spoke? Would that be too forward of her though? They had only just become friends so the act of asking if she could assist him gaining a replacement limb might be socially unacceptable. Another thing she hadn’t considered was his opinion on the matter. What if her asking him about a replacement limb was seen as offensive?

These thoughts plagued Weiss as she walked through the courtyard, unexpectedly taking herself into an area she was none too familiar with. It was only after she noticed the large tree hanging overhead that she realized where she had ended up. Situated underneath the tree itself was a small stone monument around which had been placed flowers of various kinds, though most of which had long since wilted and died. Only a small bouquet set in a small vase by the memorial looked relatively fresh.

Weiss felt a pain in her chest where her heart should be. She knew this place. She hadn’t been here since the funeral. Too many memories and emotions plaguing her to allow her to stand over it without feeling overpowering resentment and guilt. Instinctively she turned to leave but hesitated. She’d come her without realizing it. Perhaps her mind was attempting to overcome this incident?

Taking a deep breath Weiss looked around to make sure no one else was coming before approaching the memorial. Gazing down she saw his name _Jaune Arc_ chiseled into the stone with the phrase _Beloved son and friend_ added just beneath with the dates of his birth and death.

“Hello Jaune,” she said out loud.

The stone said nothing. Not like she expected to hear it answer back in his annoying voice.

“It’s been a while. Sorry I haven’t come by to visit.”

She felt stupid standing here, talking to a slab of stone. She knew there was nothing there. All they had found of him was his family sword and shield along with his severed arm. The sword and shield had been buried her and the arm… well, she had never bothered to learn about what had happened to it. More than likely his family had taken it back to his village in place of his actual body.

“Things have been different since you di- since the incident,” she said, finding it was becoming easier to simply speak out loud so long as she didn’t think too hard about what it was she was doing. “Everyone has moved on in their own way. It wasn’t easy but we’ve all managed somehow.

I sometimes think back to that day wondering how it might have ended differently. If only Ruby had been just a little faster. If only you had managed to hold on longer. If only I had been…”

Her words trailed off as her breath hitched in her throat and a single hot tear slide down her cheek.

“I’m sorry,” she finally managed. “I could have done more; I should have done more. It was no secret that I disliked you. You always had a way of being particularly annoying with how you constantly asked me out and called me snow angel. I used to imagine some bodily injury happening to you that would act as some righteous retribution for how much you got on my nerves.”

A small laugh soon died in her throat as she thought back in this.

“I never wanted this to happen though. For all the times you annoyed me I never wished for you to die. I just- I wish it had been me instead of you,” she managed to choke out.

“I think Jaune would disagree,” a feminine voice spoke from behind.

Weiss whipped around, quickly wiping away the tears that had begun falling down her face. Pyrrha Nikos walked up, a small bouquet of flowers in her hands. She gently removed the ones in the vase before replacing them with the fresh ones in her hand. It didn’t surprise her that Pyrrha would be the one visiting Jaune’s memorial. She had loved the oblivious dolt, despite her inability to see what Pyrrha saw in him.

“Pyrrha, I didn’t notice you there. I was just on my way to the library,” she lied before attempting to make a break for it.

“You know I’ve never heard you use Jaune’s first name before. You’ve always referred to him by his last name,” Pyrrha said, stopping Weiss in her tracks.

“I suppose you’re right,” Weiss said.

“Jaune was my first friend, you know. I had friends when I was younger but they all quickly distanced themselves from me as I became more well known through my tournament victories. Fame and fortune have a way of giving you things you could only dream of having but it often comes at the price of sacrificing everything you once had.”

Weiss nodded silently, Pyrrha’s words hitting home with her. Having grown up in the Schnee family all she’d ever known was the life of an elect family. She’d never really had anyone she considered a true friend prior to her teammates at Beacon but, with all the time she’d spent here, she had a fairly good idea on what she had missed out on growing up. She could only imagine how Pyrrha must have felt, watching everyone she was close to slowly drift away. It must have been difficult to have such close friends abandon you for no other reason than because you had begun walking a path they couldn’t follow.

“Jaune was the first to acknowledge me simply as a person and not as the Mistral champion or a huntress protégé. To him I was simply Pyrrha Nikos. It had been a long time since someone, anyone, had seen me as such. It was strangely refreshing.”

Weiss nodded along, recalling how they had first meet. Oddly enough it was around the time she had begun attempting to orchestrate her own plans to use Pyrrha as a means of becoming one of the top students at Beacon. She grimaced at the thought, feeling shameful for how callus she had been by attempting to use someone she now considered a friend. It was very much something her father would have done and that was a level she simply couldn’t allow herself to sink down to.

“I think that was about the time I started to develop a crush on him,” Pyrrha said, her words grabbing Weiss’ attention immediately. “He was so different from everyone else. I liked that about him. I admired that.”

She stopped, tears beginning to form at the corners of her eyes as she spoke, “I never got the chance to tell him how I felt.”

That had been the final nail in the coffin for Weiss. Before Pyrrha’s tears could begin their decent Weiss’ eyes were already overflowing like a faucet. She tried to hid her face but Pyrrha was too quick to notice. She was so surprised by the girl’s reaction that her own tears went ignored.

“It’s all my fault,” Weiss said through her sobs. “It’s my fault he’s gone.”

“Weiss, don’t say that,” Pyrrha said, immediately falling into her motherly role as she took Weiss into her arms to comfort her.

“It is! He died because of me!” she sobbed into the girl’s chest.

“No it isn’t. No one blames you for what happened. I don’t blame you and I doubt Jaune would blame you either. He cared about you too much to be so petty,” she coed.

Weiss could say nothing. Her emotions were overflowing and overwhelming. Any attempts she made to rest herself under control were quickly dashed to pieces by a fresh wave of guilt. Despite this it somehow felt good. Pyrrha held her close, stroking the girl’s head as she let her feelings flow. They stayed like that for quite some time, neither one saying a word yet both feeling that they understood the other just a little bit better.

* * *

**Junior’s Club – Junior**

It was well into the early hours of the morning when Junior finally closed the club. Typically, an establishment such as his didn’t close, hiring people to operate on shifts that allowed them to keep their doors open at all hours to cater to whomever walked through. Today, however, things had been different. The cryptic message he’d received from that man, Phoenix he called himself, regarding his friend had left him feeling uneasy. Junior wasn’t a man who felt uneasy unless it was in regards to someone particularly powerful or intimidating. Only two people to date had ever achieved that with him, Torchwick and a young blond who had recently decimated his club.

Running through his end of the night checklist Junior kept a watchful eye out for anyone who might look out of place. He wanted to be ready, to be prepared. He didn’t know whom he was meeting with but, if they were anything like the shady characters he typically did business with, then he wanted to keep on his toes. With the doors locked and the dance floor pitch black he retreated to the back room. Secluded, well-furnished and with only one entry point it was the perfect place to make a stand if it came to it. That and the fully stocked minibar afforded him a strong drink to help calm his nerves, something he greatly needed at that point.

The moment he walked through the door, however, he felt his blood turn ice cold. One thing he hadn’t accounted for was the possibility that it would be occupied and the other factor was by whom. Sitting in the middle of the large half-circle couch was a man he could only assume was Phoenix’s friend.

He was dressed from head to foot in dark, lose clothing. His shirt was a hoodie with the hood pulled up over his head from which a small tuft of blond hair could be seen. The lower half of his face was covered by a facemask, a thin piece of cloth that allowed him to breathe without hindering him too much. His blue eyes starred menacingly out at him. At one point they might had been softer, kinder but from the way the man gazed down at Junior he could feel only loathing behind their dark gaze.

His arms were stretched out across the back of the couch, showing he was relaxed as he didn’t consider him a threat. While his left arm was covered by a black shirt and ended in a fingerless glove with a thin sliver band on his arm, his right arm remained exposed and for good reason. It was metal and, from the looks of its quality, was military make. It shone brilliantly in the low light of the room drawing Junior’s attention as his eyes followed it all the way down to the fingers.

On each of his fingers, save for his thumb, were attached a small curved blade with three pronounced rivets in them. It wasn’t hard for him to imagine how it might look when they were balled into a first ready to smash against your face. For someone with aura the impact would be bearable but strenuous and those without would ultimately be left with a nasty scar. Just before the wrist Junior could see a small section that looked like a compartment of some kind. Obviously it opened up to revealed something, a gun perhaps?

“So, I take it you’re Phoenix’s friend,” he said, more of a statement than a question.

The man said nothing nor did he make any movements that might be considered a response. He maintained eyes contact, making Junior more and more uncomfortable the longer he held his gaze.

“I was about to fix myself a drink. You want one?”

“ _I’d prefer it if you remained sober for our conversation_ ,” the man finally spoke.

Junior stopped dead in his tracks, his guest’s voice catching him off guard. He hadn’t expected him to speak, considering he’d been given the silent treatment, and was even more surprised by the sound of his voice. It was odd, to say the least, certainly not something a person normally sounded like. It was deep but the overall tone made him sound machine like, almost as if his vocal cords had been replaced by a computer processor and were attempting to sound like a person.

“You’re archangel, aren’t you?” he asked, realizing who it was.

“ _That’s what they call me though in truth I don’t consider myself much of an angel_.”

“Then what do you consider yourself?” Junior asked, half joking.

“ _A vengeful spirit_ ,” he answered matter-of-factly.

“I see. So, what can I do for you?”

“ _Not long ago I ran into Torchwick, someone I think you might know intimately._ ”

“I’ve heard of the man but never done business with him.”

Archangel leaned forward, fixing Junior with an intense glare. The effects were immediate as the large man felt a droplet of sweat making its way down the side of his face. He knew what this was. Years of conducting business with the scum of Vale had trained him to recognize hateful, murderous intent. No doubt Archangel had taken offense to his explanation and he was about to pay for it.

“ _Don’t lie to me Junior,_ ” growled, “ _after I subdued them your men were very talkative. They informed me that they were a loan to Torchwick due to a debt you owe him. As far I’m concerned if any innocent lives are harmed by their actions I will personally see to it that you are the one who answers for them._ ”

“You can’t- “Junior tried to argue.

“ _On. Your. Head,_ ” Archangel said, pointing an armored finger at him threateningly.

Junior could only give a slight nod in affirmation, such was the hold Archangel’s intimidation had on him. It was obvious this was the reaction the man was looking for as his gaze softened before he leaned back into the couch.

“ _For now you can count yourself lucky that no one has been hurt, either through my intervention or by sheer dumb luck._ ”

“I see, that’s good,” Junior replied, feeling a wave of relief pour over him. “I take it that isn’t your only reason for meeting with me.”

“ _Indeed. My first priority when coming here was to gain some information. I’ve been told you have a knack for discovering information that is relatively hard to come by._ ”

“You could say that. However, while I so treasure my new found acquaintanceship with you, information doesn’t come free.”

“ _You needn’t worry about that, Junior. I have every intention of paying you for your services and contributions. Not only that but if I find the information to be exceptionally useful I may even throw in a little extra._ ”

“I see,” Junior said, raising an eyebrow out of obvious intrigue. “Well then, who or what do you need information on?”

“ _A man by the name of Dr. Merlot._ ”

“Merlot? You sure? I don’t know if you’ve heard but the man has been dead for several years now. Not sure I’ll be able to find anything that isn’t already public info.”

“ _Find out what you can and if I find it to be satisfactory then I will have more work for you, if you’re interested._ ”

“Of course.”

Archangel nodded his approval before rising from his seat and headed towards the door.

“ _One last thing before I leave,_ ” he said, turning to glance back as Junior, “ _the next time we meet, I’d like you to bring the girls along as well._ ”

“The Malachite twins? Why?”

“ _I’ll have a task for them that maybe right up their ally._ ”

Without waiting for a response Archangel left, leaving Junior alone with his thoughts. It didn’t take long for the man to regain his composure and immediately started for his collection of alcohol. Taking one of his more expensive whiskies, a particular one he’d been saving for special occasions, he uncorked it immediately. As he held it over the glass he hesitated for a moment before taking a long swig straight from the bottle. It burned as it splashed down his throat, acknowledging that he was indeed awake and not having a terrible nightmare.

“What the hell have I gotten myself into?” he said.

* * *

**Ahhh, finally, I’m back!**

**My apologies to all of my patrons and followers for the long absence. I was, unfortunately, preoccupied with something for work that took me away from my computer for the better part of six weeks. Trust me, whatever free time I might have had during that time was taken up so my stories were greatly lacking. Good news is it’s over and I can now start updating my other fics.**

**Now that I’m officially back allow me to explain some things. I understand that, as you read the dialogue I have for Jaune both while he’s portraying Phoenix and Archangel, that he seems completely different from his actual character in RWBY. Rest assured this is completely intentional.**

**My reason for doing this is to not only give both alter egos their own personalities but to also show the significant changes that Jaune went through after his apartment death. While I’ll reveal more about the events that took place while Jaune was away in Mistral I can tell you that his experiences there changed him. Much of the clumsy, awkward, stuttering teenager he once was became something more honed and mature. A lot can happen to a person after a brush with death and a year away from home.**

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. More exiting things to follow. Until then I’ll be working on my other stories so be looking for updates to those in the coming weeks.**


	4. Mediator

**Apologies beforehand for the back and forth of referring to Jaune as either Jaune or Phoenix or Archangel throughout the chapter. It may seem a bit confusing at first but it’s meant to establish the viewpoints of certain characters. Basically, Jaune will always refer to himself as Jaune while everyone else will see him as either Phoenix or Archangel. I’ll try to clean it up to make it easier to decipher.**

* * *

**Vale – Jaune’s Apartment – Jaune**

Rain pelted the living room window like the steady beat of a drum. Jaune sat on his couch, a cup of coffee in his left hand as he listened to it. As a boy he’d loved the rain. He’d often go outside with some of his siblings to splash around in the mud puddles before being called back inside while his mother would tell them off for going out to catch their death of cold. They’d always come in dirty, soaked, and steaming as their body temperatures would quickly evaporate the water that had seeped through their cloths.

As he grew older, however, Jaune had taken to simply sitting by his window, watching the water cascade against the windowpane while he listened. He didn’t know why but there was something strangely calming about the sound of the rain.

It rained a lot in Mistral. On days when he’d train he’d sometimes take breaks simply to sit and listen. It always had a way of taking him back home, back to memories long forgotten of when he was a boy dreaming of one day taking up his family sword in the defense of the people of Remnant. He always imagined himself as some great warrior that they would write stories about.

As this thought crept through his mind his eyes lazily drifted to the newspaper from that morning sitting on his coffee table. On the front page, tucked into the side, was an article about Archangel. Though he hadn’t been active for the past few days as both Torchwick and the White Fang hadn’t made any moves recently, his actions still stirred a great deal of attention from the public, both supportive and hostile.

 _Well, they are writing stories about me_ he thought to himself _just not the kind I had imagined_. In truth, a lot of what he had imagine life would be like as a warrior when he was a boy had been fairly off the mark. The reality had come at him hard and fast, taking a sizable chunk out of him in the process. Despite this, Jaune still pushed forward. He’d chosen this path and he’d see it through to its end. He was an Arc, after all, even if he was technically dead.

A sudden flash of light followed by a loud crash jolted him from his thoughts. He set his coffee down, anticipating himself spilling it all over himself the next time light decided to strike. It didn’t, however, but a second crash sounded and this one fairly close to his apartment. The sound had come from outside, near the trash cans. It could have been an animal, a cat or raccoon perhaps, but his instincts told him otherwise.

He slipped on his coat, popping the collar to protect himself against the wind, put on his hat and grabbed a flashlight. He headed outside, feeling the cool rain as it splashed against his face. He didn’t know what to expect when he got outside. Whoever it was, if they were friendly he would offer them a helping hand and if they were hostile… well, they’d soon learn not to go stalking around his apartment in the middle of the night.

He scanned the area, looking for any signs of the intruder. It didn’t take long for his light to find a couple of over turned trashcans with the culprit among them. The first thing he noticed was their clothing. It was mostly black and white with long boots that reached up to the thighs where they meet white pant leggings. Above that they wore a black vest over a white blouse and a black bow on their head. With the light in their face they had raised their hands against it, concealing their features but he had already seen enough to know who he was dealing with.

“Blake?” he said before he could stop himself.

She froze, the light dipping just enough to allow her to lower her arms and look the man in the face. He was about her age with baby blue eyes and chocolate colored hair that was cut short. He was dressed in an overcoat and a fedora, protecting himself against the rain. What stuck out to her most, though, was the fact that he had only one arm. If she wanted to, if she tried, she could over power the man and be gone before he called the police. However, she wasn’t like that anymore. She was a huntress and she would use diplomacy before relying on brute strength.

“I’m sorry. I got lost and tripped when the lightening flashed overhead. I won’t cause you any trouble. I’ll be out of your hair in no time.”

The man didn’t answer. He shut off the light and disappeared back into his apartment. Blake didn’t even feel surprised. She’d come to Vale to make a change in her life. She never expected those people to change simply to suit her new lifestyle. Before she could get up, though, he returned, splashing water everywhere. Blake froze. She knew what was coming and it was never good.

As her body prepared to defend herself against the onslaught that was inevitable she was unprepared for what came next. The rain stopped. It was still falling around her, that much she could see, but as for herself it had stopped falling on her. She looked up only to see the man now holding an umbrella over her head, a worried expression plastered all over his face.

“Huh?”

“Come inside,” he said.

“What?” she asked, taken aback by his statement.

“Come inside before you catch your death of cold,” he said, a little more sternly, “or would you rather sit out in here in a puddle of muddy water?”

Blake starred up at him, wondering internally if the man was being legit. While in most cases she would assume this was a trick meant to lure her into some demeaning situation, the sincere look in his eyes told her that he meant well. That, and the fact was she was tired of being cold and wet. She gave him a simple nod and eagerly followed him into his apartment.

The moment she stepped inside she was instantly struck with how warm it felt, both in temperature and atmosphere. It was a simple layout, most of the décor being white or Bache, but it was inviting. The living room that was just off of the entryway had a white carpet with a three-person couch facing away from her. On its opposite side were set two arm chairs flanking a coffee table in the middle. To her right was kitchenette from which she could smell fresh coffee brewing.

Blake was so engrossed in her new surroundings that she yelped in surprise as her host threw a small towel over her head and placed a larger one around her shoulders. She hadn’t realized it before but she had been shivering. The warm, soft towels were very inviting and she wrapped them around her tightly, feeling their warmth contrast the cold damp feeling of her clothes sticking to her body.

“Here, come and sit,” the man said, leading her into the living room.

“No, I’m fine. I don’t want to get your couch all wet,” she argued.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s just a couch,” he said, plopping her down before she had a chance to argue. “It’ll dry and be fine. I’m more worried about you.”

Blake watched him with silent appreciation and disbelief as he quickly went back into the kitchen. “Would you like some coffee or are you more of a tea person?”

“I prefer tea, if it’s not too much trouble,” she said eagerly.

“Is Jasmine alright?” he asked, filling the kettle and putting it on the stove.

“That’s my favorite, actually,” she said.

“It’ll be a few minutes before it boils,” he said, taking a seat in one of the armchairs across from her.

“Thank you. I really appreciate this,” she said.

“Think nothing of it. It’s the least I can do considering the circumstances,” he said. “I’m Phoenix, by the way. Phoenix Ash.”

“Blake Belladonna,” she said, reaching out to shake his hand only to hesitate for a moment when she remembered he was missing his right.

“There’s no need to be embarrassed,” he said with a chuckle.

“I’m sorry,” she said sheepishly.

“Don’t be.”

“May I ask how it happened?”

“Grimm attack,” he said nonchalantly. “A Beowulf.”

“That’s terrible,” she said quietly.

“Not really. He took my arm and I took its head,” he said with a chuckle.

“You were a hunter, then?” she asked, saying the first thing that came to mind.

“Yes and no. I was training to be one but, after I lost my arm, I decided I needed a career change.”

Before Blake could ask further she was interrupted by a sharp whistle. Phoenix got up, taking his mug from the coffee table as he went to the kitchen. It was a few minutes before he returned with a fresh cup of coffee and a jasmine tea, both mugs being expertly held in his one hand.

“Thank you,” she said, taking a delicate sip.

The tea tasted wonderful and she could feel it warm her chilled bones as it rushed through. She laid back, the feeling of warmth overtaking her as the cold slowly began to recede. Phoenix said nothing as he drank his own cup. She wondered what he must be thinking but focused on her drink instead.

“Permit me,” he said, “I know it may be none of my business but I’m curious to know why a young woman such as yourself would be stumbling around in the dark during a rainstorm in a back ally no less.”

Blake’s cheeks started to turn red and not from the hot tea. “It’s a little embarrassing,” she admitted.

“Oh?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I got into an argument with my team and ran out when I blurted out something I shouldn’t or rather, something that I wanted to keep private.”

“I see,” he said, setting down his coffee to stroke his chin. “Did it have anything to do with you being a faunus?”

Blake nearly chocked on her tea as her eyes shot to his in surprise. _Bingo_ Jaune thought to himself.

“H-how did you know?” Blake asked, realizing too late that her cover was blown.

“Well, for starters, despite your clothing having been drenched by the rain your bow showed surprising resiliency in maintaining its form,” he said, “not to mention it’s still managed to stay up even with that towel over your head.

So, that either means the material used to make it is surprisingly resistant to both water and friction or its hiding something unhindered by the elements.”

Blake’s ears flattened, as did the bow, at the conclusion of his statement. True, she’d never been naive enough to believe that she would be able to walk around her entire time at Beacon without someone bringing her bow into question but the fact that her host was able to deduce her heritage so quickly was as surprising as it was disturbing.

“You don’t have to keep the guise up, Miss Belladonna. You’ll find no animosity towards yourself or your people within my home.”

His kind words and the soft look in his eyes helped to calm Blake’s nerves. She nodded her head, reaching up to slowly remove the bow and reveal the cat ears hidden beneath. Jaune’s eyes took them, regarding them for a moment, before a friendly smile crossed his face.

“It’s interesting, and a little sad, that something like those would cause such a negative reaction from your teammates,” he mused.

“The argument wasn’t so much about my heritage as much as it was my past,” she admitted.

“What about it?” he asked.

Blake gave him a wary glance, one that told him it was something too personal for her to divulge to a complete stranger.

“My apologies, I didn’t mean to pry,” he said.

“It’s fin- ACHOO!” she sneezed.

“You alright?” he asked.

“Yea, just a sneeze,” she said, rubbing her nose.

“I think it may be more than that. The fact that you’ve been sitting in your damp cloths isn’t helping matters. Come with me.”

Blake didn’t have time to argue before Phoenix had a hold of her arm and was leading her into his bedroom. The room was as well-furnished as the living room though that wasn’t what had her attention. He led her to the bathroom adjacent to his room and began rummaging through his dresser.

“Do you prefer jeans or shorts?” he asked.

“Jeans, please,” she said, preferring to keep her legs covered.

“Here you go,” he said, handing her a shirt and long jeans. “Go take a warm shower and change into these. Leave me your wet cloths and I’ll wash them so you can have something dry to change into later.”

“Yea, sure,” she said, the look he gave her making it clear that he wouldn’t give her room to argue.

Despite the awkwardness of the situation, Blake was more than grateful to have the use of a shower. She couldn’t imagine what it might have been like for her had she stayed outside in the rain, moving from one cover to the next. She shivered at the thought or maybe just the cold, she couldn’t tell.

She peeled off her wet cloths, setting them aside to give to Phoenix later, but kept her underwear separate. Despite it being damp she wasn’t willing to go commando in some stranger’s house. After what felt like the first hot shower she’d had in weeks she slipped into the clean, dry clothes she’d been given.

“Here you go,” she said, handing him her cloths once she was finished. “Thanks again for the shower and clothes.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said with a warm smile. “I’ll have these ready and folded you by the morning.”

“Thank you- ACHOO!” she sneezed loudly.

“Hmm,” Phoenix said, placing the damp cloths on the already damp couch and setting the back of his hand against her forehead. “I was afraid of this. It feels as if you’re starting to get a fever. I think it best if you go to bed immediately to help your body fight it off.”

“Alright, where do you want me to sleep?” Blake asked, too tired to argue with him at this point.

“You can take my bed,” he said, motioning to the queen sized mattress in his room. “I’ll sleep in my guest bedroom across the hall,” he said, jerking a finger to the door just behind him.

“What? No, I can’t steal your bed from you,” she tried to argue.

“You’re not stealing anything, I’m offering it to you and no arguing with me,” he added the moment she opened her mouth. “Now, get to bed,” he ordered.

While she didn’t feel comfortable sleeping in a stranger’s bed, let alone being in their home for an extended period of time, Blake was honestly too tired and exhausted to argue any further. She did as she was told, moving quickly to the bed and not daring to remove the dry clothes she’d been given. The moment she was under the covers Phoenix appeared with a glass of water which he set on the nightstand next to her and a small white pill.

“That’s to help you combat the cold and fever you got from being outside. If you need me just knock. I’m a light sleeper so it shouldn’t be too hard for you to get my attention.”

“Thank you,” she said nervously, pulling the covers tighter over herself.

Phoenix gave her a warm smile and a nod before he exited the room. He shut the door behind himself and Blake could vaguely hear him moving around in the other room before he shut the door to the guest bedroom and with it all sound from within. She lay awake for another half hour, almost expecting him to come inside while she was asleep and try to do something he shouldn’t. However, she hadn’t heard a peep from him sense he’d gone to bed and, with her body giving way to its fatigue, she slowly closed her eyes and allowed sleep to overtake her.

* * *

Jaune didn’t sleep much that night. Typically this wouldn’t pose much of a problem for him. His duel life as a vigilante was one that robbed him of sleep most nights, leading into him sleeping in until noon before jolting his body awake with a cup of coffee. However, he had another reason for why sleep eluded him this night.

When he had heard the loud crash outside he had immediately assumed it was a raccoon or possibly a stray cat knocking over his trashcans. He’d been more or less right on the latter, however, he hadn’t expected to see that it was Blake of all people. Even worse was the fact that he had called her by her name, though, thankfully it seemed she hadn’t heard him despite her acute hearing.

From there he dug himself into an even deeper hole. He’d invited her into his home, served her tea, allowed her to use his shower and even sleep in his bed. Had he been smart he would have given her an umbrella and sent her straight back to Beacon. Instead, he’d fallen back on his “nice guy” nature and insisted on making sure she was alright. Even now he was more concerned with the fever that she was developing rather than the possibility of her discovering his true identity.

“If Lazarus ever finds out he’ll freak,” he mumbled to himself.

The key word there being _if_. After having spent a full year under his benefactor’s tutelage he’d been pleasantly surprised to have been informed that he would be given free rein while in Vale. Aside from annual reports on his progress Lazarus didn’t hover over him like a hawk. Instead, he trusted Jaune to use his head and his training, a factor that greatly benefited him right now.

Still, that didn’t make him feel any better about another member of team RWBY having stumbled into his life. First he bumps into Weiss at his favorite coffee shop and then Blake comes crashing in his life, literally. It was as if Fate was forcing him to face the consequences of his disappearance. All he needed now was for Ruby and Yang to come barging in and he’d have to start tiptoeing around the whole gang and that wasn’t even before he brought in his old team as a factor.

Perhaps, in hindsight, it was a poor decision for him to come back to Vale so soon. Regardless, he was here now and getting closer every minute to Merlot. The White Fang would be making a move soon and, if his sources could be trusted, Torchwick would be numbered among them. If he acted fast he might be able to catch the criminal off guard from there and  start to extract some useful information from him.

He closed his eyes, concentrating on the tasks that lay ahead. Tomorrow, if Blake was good enough to leave, he’d see her on her way and return his focus to Merlot. He couldn’t allow his past to interfere with his mission. As much as he wanted to deny it, Jaune Arc was dead. It would be best for everyone if he remained as such.

* * *

**Vale – The Next Morning – Team RWBY**

“Blake! Blake!” Ruby yelled, her hands cupped over her mouth as she shouted her teammates name.

“Maybe we should leave a can of tuna on the windowsill and see if that attracts her?” Yang said.

“Yang, she’s a faunus, not an actual cat. Besides, I’m certain that would attract the birds more so than cats,” Weiss chided.

“Well at least I’m trying to come up with ideas rather than refusing to help,” Yang shot back.

“It’s not as if we’re going to find her. She was a terrorist, Yang. She’s more than capable of evading us if she doesn’t want to be found.”

“Like that matters! She’s my partner, Weiss, and your teammate. I’m not giving up on her and neither should you. Now, I’m going to keep looking and if you want to help then stay but if not then go back to the dorms and wait for us.”

The young heiress gave the blonde brawler an icy glare as she starred into her crimson eyes. Neither was willing to give the other ground in their argument. Despite that Weiss had a point. Blake was more than capable of evading their efforts when she wanted. There was no telling where she had gone. At best they would find her only when something forced them to reunite.

* * *

A soft series of knocks sounded on the bedroom door. Blake groaned, her head was pounding against her skull as she receded beneath the covers and away from the sliver of light that streamed in through the curtains.

“Blake, may I come in?” she heard Phoenix asked from the door.

“Hmm,” she groaned. His voice seemed vaguely familiar but at the same time foreign to her. She couldn’t quite remember who he was or where she was for that matter but the pounding headache didn’t make it very easy for her recall that information.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, the sound of his telling her he was standing next to her now. How had he moved so close without her noticing?

The covers were pulled back and Blake scrunched her eyes against the horrible light. She felt something soft touch her forehead. His hand perhaps? It felt cool against her skin and she leaned into it. The stark contrast of temperature inviting and soothing.

“You’re burning up,” he said, the tone of his voice denoting worry. “Did you take the medicine I gave you last night?”

“Hmm,” was all she could manage to say. She thought she had but she could quite remember.

Phoenix didn’t say anything in response. He must have walked away because the light returned. She pulled the covers back over her head to banish the light though this did little to alleviate her headache. Before long Phoenix returned, pulling the curtains shut to throw her into complete darkness to her great relief. He pulled the covers back once more and set something against her head.

At first she thought it was his hand but it felt too strange to be skin. Then, a cooling sensation began to emanate from it, soothing her head more than the cool touch of his hand had. She moaned her pleasure at the cool feeling and felt her body relax in response.

“I’m going to go out and get you some stronger medicine. This cold press should help in the meantime.”

“Hmm,” Blake responded, her body relaxing back into sleep as the cold press dispelled the pain and heat coming from her head. She didn’t know when he left only that sleep overtook her as she sank back onto the comfy bed.

* * *

It had only been a few hours sense they began their search for Blake and already Ruby’s feet were starting to ache. She wanted to take a break and maybe get something to eat but her worry for her friend and teammate’s whereabouts wouldn’t allow her to stop. She needed something to assure her she was safe and not lying in some gutter somewhere in downtown Vale.

“Excuse me Sir, have you seen this girl?” she heard her sister ask.

Ruby turned to see who she was talking to. The man in question was tall with short brown hair and, to her surprise, only one arm. He was holding a small white bag in his hands, obviously some sort of medication considering he’d just walked out of a pharmacy. He regarded the picture on Yang’s scroll, taking a moment to study it, before shaking his head.

“I’m afraid I haven’t,” he said.

“Oh, thanks anyway,” Yang said, her voice tinged with disappointment.

“Is she a friend of yours?”

“She’s my partner, actually. We’re students at Beacon.”

“I figured. You ladies have the look of huntswomen,” he said.

“Phoenix?” she heard Weiss ask.

“Miss Schnee, what a pleasant surprise,” he said, his face lighting up as she approached.

“Weiss, you know this guy?” Ruby asked as she approached.

“Yes, he’s a friend,” she said.

“Wait, hold on a second. The Ice Queen has friends?” Yang asked in disbelief.

“Ice Queen?” Phoenix said with obvious amusement.

“Of course I have friends. I’m not anti-social like some people,” Weiss snapped.

“Hi, I’m Ruby Rose, her partner,” she said, extending a hand but quickly flinching when she remembered he only had one.

“Phoenix Ash,” he said, his expression showing he didn’t consider her gesture at all insulting. “I’d shake your hand but mine are full,” he joked.

“Yang Xio Long, her older sister,” Yang piped in, shifting the awkwardness away from Ruby. “So, you’re one of Weiss friends?” she said, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Xio Long. Honestly, I swear your mind is more perverted than most guys,” Weiss chided.

“Wonderful to meet you all,” Phoenix said, obviously unperturbed by the comment.

“How did you two meet? Weiss doesn’t exactly tell us much about her other friends,” Ruby said.

“We bumped into one another at a coffee shop, literally.”

“What do you mean?” Ruby asked.

Weiss’ cheeks turned pink at the question. Yang caught onto it immediately, a devilish smirk spreading across her face.

“It was my fault,” Phoenix quickly interjected. “I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going and ran into her, dropping both our coffees. It was a rather embarrassing accident on my part.”

“It was as much my fault as yours. I wasn’t exactly pleasant about it either,” Weiss countered.

“So, what do you two typically do together?” Yang asked.

“We have coffee and a conversation,” Phoenix said.

“And?” she prodded.

“We have coffee and talk, nothing more,” Weiss snapped.

“That’s surprising. I wouldn’t have imagined there existed someone capable of holding your attention, let alone being worthy of it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

The two girls descended into a heated argument, leaving Phoenix and Ruby to stand awkwardly on the sidelines.

“This happen often?” he asked.

“Not as much as it used to,” she admitted. “Weiss has gotten better, though.”

“Something happen?”

“Well, it’s not something we bring up much anymore.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Ruby said. “We actually lost a friend a year back during a mission.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“His name was Jaune. He was the leader of our sister team. Weiss was actually with him when he passed,” Ruby said. “She took it pretty hard. She’d been doing better, though.”

“It can be hard to lose a friend. Were they close?”

“Not really. Jaune had a crush on her but she didn’t return his feelings. She actually thought he was rather annoying,” she said with a sympathetic smile.

Phoenix returned it while internally wincing. He’d remembered all his failed attempts to try and get her to go on a date with him. Somehow he’d convinced himself that his father’s advice of “confidence is all you need.” What a load of bullshit.

“So, I’m guessing she and Blake had an argument?”

“Yea, it was about Blake’s past. Weiss blew up and things just went downhill from there. Blake ran out of the room and hasn’t been back since yesterday.”

“I see,” he said, noticing that the two girls had finally started to settle down he took it as his cue to leave. “How about I give you my number in case I see her.”

“That’ll be a big help,” Ruby said excitedly.

After a moment the girls had copied his scroll number into theirs and sent him a message to insure he had theirs in turn. A quick farewell and he was on his way, grimacing at the unfortunate luck he had in running into old friends. For now he quickened his pace, his worry for Blake and her condition propelling him further.

* * *

Blake didn’t know how much time had passed. It must have been an hour or so because the cold press had settled to room temperature. Thankfully it had done its job alleviating her pounding headache but nonetheless still leaving her head feeling slightly warm. She was better, though, and she was able to hear Phoenix as he returned home.

“How are you feeling?” he asked as he walked into the room.

“Better, thank you,” she said, managing to sit up.

He pressed his hand against her forehead, his face mirroring his thoughts as he considered her condition.

“Your fever has gone down which is good. I brought you some stronger medicine. It’ll leave you feeling groggy but at least you’ll get some sleep and it should break the fever entirely.”

“Thank you. What do I owe you?” she asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, waving it off.

“No, seriously, I can’t keep taking advantage of your charity. I won’t feel good about this until I’ve repaid your generosity.”

Phoenix considered her for a moment, his expression calm while also showing his effort to consider her offer.

“How about we make a deal. I have a few questions I’d like to ask you, if you’re willing, and once I’m satisfied we’ll call it even. If you don’t want to then we can come up with another compromise, deal?”

“Yea, that sounds fine,” she said, relieved to hear he didn’t want anything questionable from her.

Phoenix nodded his head before he left the room. He returned about ten minutes later with two steaming mugs in hand. One smelled strongly of coffee, obviously for himself, and the other she could smell the hint of Jasmine tea. He set the mugs on the nightstand, pushing hers towards her, before taking his in hand and settling into a chair near the bed.

“I ran into your teammates while I was out,” he said nonchalantly.

Blake nearly choked on her tea at the offhand comment. She glanced over at Phoenix who kept a neutral expression. He was obviously watching her reaction, taking note before asking his next question.

“Really,” she said, taking a sip of her tea.

“They were out looking for you. They were worried about you.”

“ _They_?” she emphasized, obviously questioning whether or not Weiss felt the same way.

The sharp glare she received in turn had her receding in response.

“Yes, _they_ ,” he said, emphasizing the last portion. “I was told by Ruby that you and Weiss got into an argument and that you’d been gone last night, probably sometime before I found you. Would you care to fill me in on the details?”

“I’d rather not,” she said, shifting her eyes away from him.

“Blake, I understand if what happened between you and your teammates is a private affair and I want to respect that, however, the fact that your absence has your team frantically looking for you leads me to believe that you need to work things out with them as soon as possible.

Knowing that I’m willing to give you an ultimatum. You can either go back to your team and make up or I can bring them here and leave you to their mercy,” he said, giving her a look that made it clear he wasn’t joking.

“And if I fill you in on what our fight was about?’ she asked.

“I may reconsider other options but that all depends on what it was you were arguing about. Basically, if it was something petty the offer remains as is,” he replied.

“It wasn’t petty, I can assure you of that,” she said. “Have you ever heard of the White Fang?”

“Hard not to. When I was a boy I recall seeing protest groups whenever my family and I visited Vale. They were mostly peaceful though in recent years there has been more and more news regarding some less than peaceful acts they’ve committed.”

“I used to be part of them,” she said, watching his expression for any hint of change.

It stayed neutral, a reaction she couldn’t quite place as good or bad. She decided to give it the benefit of the doubt before continuing on.

“I was born into that life, participating in every protest, every boycott, anything to help further the cause. I honestly thought we were making a difference. Then, our previous leader stepped down and was replaced with someone who had more aggressive ideas.

Our peaceful protests soon gave way to attacks on business and raids all designed to make an example of those who either discriminated against or took advantage of Faunus. Surprisingly it worked and people began to respect us but it was respect born out of fear. I decided I didn’t want to be a part of that.”

“So you left them,” he concluded, earning a silent nod from Blake. “The argument you had with Weiss, it had something to do with your actions while you were still part of the White Fang.”

“Yes, a number of her family’s friends and colleagues had either been targeted, killed, or disappeared as well as had several raids performed on their businesses or dust trains. Needless to say it trickled down and made things difficult for her growing up.”

“I see,” he said, leaning back as he took a thoughtful sip of his coffee.

Having heard more of the story he was beginning to piece things together. Having a former member of the White Fang, people who were widely regarded as terrorists by the people of Remnant, was not someone many would feel safe being around. It made sense that Blake had wanted to keep it secret. The information was extremely volatile and there was no telling just how people might react once it was revealed.

Despite this it appeared that the majority of team RWBY had decided to overlook her past. Their concern for her wellbeing was testament enough of their caring nature. The only odd factor was Weiss. She was, at the best of times, cold and callus and at worst abrasive and argumentative. It was obvious she was the odd factor in the equation which meant he would need to speak with her to gain a greater view of the story as a whole.

“What are your plans moving forward? Are you going to return to your team?”

“I can’t,” she said.

“Blake,” he started.

“Not yet,” she interjected, “not until I have some sort of proof to show Weiss that the White Fang are the victims of back press.”

Phoenix fixed her with a stern frown, showing his obvious disagreement with her reasoning.

“I understand you want to give your people the benefit of the doubt but assuming that they’re the victims of bad press isn’t always the best route to take. What if you discover that they aren’t as innocent as you think? What if they really are the perpetrators of the crimes people claim?”

“Then I’ll stop them or at least adhere to their humanity. I can’t just sit back and watch as their names are dragged through the mud.”

Phoenix let out a tired sigh. “You realize I can’t support you in this harebrained idea of yours, especially with how dangerous it’ll prove to be.”

“I understand, thank you for everything,” she said, taking a sip of her tea.

“I certainly wouldn’t recommend you go to the docks later tonight to keep watch over a shipment of dust that’s coming in,” he mumbled, loud enough for her to overhear.

“Dust shipment?” she asked, her eyes immediately glancing over at Phoenix.

He said nothing, the stern look on his face enough for her to read his mood. He’d purposely dropped that information though how he had come by it was something she found a little perplexing. Still, it was enough to go by and more than she could have asked for.

“Your cloths are dry and waiting for you in the living room. I’ll be going out soon so, if you need anything, just let me know,” he said, rising from his chair.

“Thank you again, Phoenix. You’ve done more for me than I could have hoped for.”

“You do realize that I won’t be keep this quiet from your teammates, correct?”

“I understand,” she said, giving him a sympathetic smile.

“Alright then,” he mumbled as he stepped out.

He soon left the house, putting at least a ten minute distance between himself and his home before he pulled out his scroll. The lapse in time was meant to allow her to change her cloths and slip out, giving him an excuse not to mention she had been staying with him.

“Hello Weiss, its Phoenix. I think I may have a lead on Blake. Are you and your friends nearby?” there was a moment where Weiss spoke from the other end with background noise indicating Ruby and Yang had overheard, “how about we meet at our usual spot? I’ll see you in a bit.”

He closed his scroll, stowing it away in his pocket before letting out another tired sigh.

“When did things get to be so complicated?” he said to no one in particular.

* * *

**The Cocoa Bean – Weiss**

The moment Weiss heard Phoenix had seen Blake she felt an odd sensation of relief poor over her. She wasn’t quite sure why she felt that way, especially with recent events still in her mind, but it didn’t really matter. The quicker they found their teammate the sooner they’d be able to return to Beacon and set themselves back on a normal track. Not only that but she might be relieved of the nasty glares she was constantly being shot by Yang.

The moment she walked inside it felt familiar and comfortable. Something about this place just made her feel at home. She found Phoenix at their usual table with a cup of coffee for each of them and an assortment of creams and sugars for them to choose from. She smiled as he waved to them before taking her seat across from them.

“Hey Weiss,” he said in a pleasant tone.

“Hello Phoenix,” she replied.

“You found Blake!” Ruby nearly belted out, her face just inches from his.

“Ruby, don’t be rude. Sit down,” Weiss snapped.

“I may have seen her but before I go into detail I have a few questions for you all,” he said.

“Fine,” the young leader said, taking a seat next to him.

“The coffee is for you, by the way,” he said. “Help yourselves to the cream and sugar.”

Ruby didn’t need an invitation for that and quickly dumped eight packets of sugar into her coffee followed by a waterfall of creamers. Phoenix’s pleasant smile quickly fell into a mixture of disbelief and disgust as he watched the whole affair take place followed by his face turning pale when the girl took a satisfied sip of her sugary concoction.

“Well that explains a few things,” he said.

“I find its best not to watch,” Weiss commented.

“No doubt. I can already feel cavities forming in my teeth from the sight alone.”

Weiss let out a small giggle at the comment, causing her teammates to shot her each a questioning glance.

“What?” she asked in an irritated tone.

“You giggled,” Ruby said.

“Yes,” Weiss replied, cocking an eyebrow at the statement.

“You never giggle,” Yang pointed out. “Ever.”

“I found his comment humorous,” she said.

Ruby and Yang exchanged awkward looks, earning an icy glare each from Weiss.

“Anyway, I wanted to speak to you about Blake,” Phoenix said, turning the subject of the conversation back on himself before things could get worse.

“Yea, you said you saw her,” Yang stated.

“I did more than that. I had a chance to speak with her.”

“Really? How is she?” Ruby asked, rising from her seat.

“She’s fine,” he said, motioning for her to sit down. “I just wanted to ask you a few questions.”

“Such as?” Yang asked.

“What the nature of your argument was about.”

The table went dead silent at this. Ruby lowered her gaze while Yang turned a fiery glare of her own on Weiss.

“Why ask us? No doubt Blake filled you in on all the details,” Weiss said, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked away from Yang.

“I heard her side of the story, yes, and now I want to hear yours.”

Weiss glanced back at Yang, the two exchanging heated and icy glances respectfully before filling him in on the details. Phoenix listened with patience as they recounted the event that had taken place at the docks leading up to their argument at the dorms and the subsequent fleeing of Blake. Ruby interjected once or twice, more to clarify things or keep the piece, but for the most part it seemed both Yang and Weiss have greatly varying opinions of the events that had taken place.

“I see. Thank you for informing me. I think I have a better picture of what happened now,” he said once they were finished.

“So, compared to what you heard from Blake, was there much difference?” Weiss asked, more a challenge for him to say something that would contradict her opinion rather than offer a different point of view.

“It’s given me a broader view of the argument in question. I had no intention of taking sides and, now that I’ve been given greater detail, I think it best if I take no one’s side at all.”

“Does that mean you’re not going to tell us where Blake is?’ Ruby asked in a defeated tone.

“I wouldn’t say that,” he replied, causing her to perk up a bit. “I can’t be for certain but I have a hunch you might encounter her at the docks tonight around the time a new shipment of dust is due to come in from the SDC.”

“The docks?” Yang asked.

“How do you know about this?” Weiss interrogated.

“Know about what?” Phoenix asked, his expression showing he had no intention of admitting to anything.

“Thanks for the info. We really appreciate it,” Yang said as she rose from her seat.

“Thank you,” Ruby said giving him a quick hug to show her appreciation.

“Don’t mention it,” he said with a chuckle.

As the group got up to leave he quickly caught Weiss’ attention, “Weiss, could I speak with you for a moment?”

The serious look in his eyes showed it was urgent and both Yang and Ruby said nothing as they left the pair at their table.

“I wanted to ask you something in confidence. You can trust me to keep everything we discuss here between us.”

“Very well, what is it you want to know?”

“What is Blake to you?” he asked.

Weiss stared back at him, confusion and bewilderment etched into her expression. The nature of his question was something she hadn’t expected and it had caught her off guard.

“I’m not sure what you mean? Could you clarify?” she asked.

“Do you consider her a friend, teammate, or _faunus_?”

The emphasis he placed on the last word sent a chill running through her body. It wasn’t the word itself but the manner in which he said it that had her feeling uncomfortable. It was questioning her views on the Faunus themselves, not just Blake. He wanted to know if she saw her as an individual or simply one of a mass that she’d lumped together in a disrespectful opinion of the whole.

“I’m not sure,” she answered honestly.

It was an honest answer or at least as honest as she was capable of being in that moment. Even before the revelation of her heritage, Weiss’ opinion of the girl hadn’t been a flattering one. Their first and rather brief encounter had ruffled her feathers and it hadn’t improved even after they’d been lumped together as teammates. Now, though, after she’d learned she was a Faunus her hatred towards the White Fang and its members had come flowing out in a flood directed solely at her.

“I see,” he said, his tone neutral.

She hated that. Why couldn’t he take a stance? If he was disappointed with her then show it in your voice? _Don’t leave me wondering what you’re opinion of me is_ , she thought to herself.

“You’re disappointed in me,” she said, hazarding a guess.

The steely gaze he gave her was all the confirmation she needed and she sank into herself as a result.

“Weiss, if I may be so bold, may I ask what your intentions were in coming to Vale, to Beacon?” he asked, relaxing his gaze a little.

“My intentions?”

“It’s no secret that a young woman, such as yourself, would be more than capable of hiring private tutors to instruct her. It would be no financial stretch for your family to provide everything you needed to further your education without imposing the need for you to leave Atlas, let alone your home. The fact that you traveled so far to study at a Hunters Academy in another country tells me you did so for a reason.”

“Is it paramount that you know why I came here?”

“No, though it would help to better judge the situation you’re in and by understanding where you’re coming from I’ll be better able to make an educated judgment without being too biased.”

Weiss understood where he was coming from with his reasoning but it did little to alleviate her discomfort. What he was saying had nothing to do with taking her side. In fact, it was more a way to give himself a greater advantage over the situation should he find himself mixed up in what could be a very messy aftermath. Still, he had a point and, with everything he’d done for them so far it was the least she could do to repay his kindness.

“You’re right, with the amount of money my family has it wouldn’t be at all difficult for me to hire to best instructors money could provide and never leave the comfort of my own home.”

Phoenix nodded along, his expression calm though thoughtful. He was listening carefully, allowing her to get everything out before he decided on a reply.

“Thing is, I never wanted that. My father is a man who is used to people listening to him and doing exactly what he does regardless of whether they’re employees or family. I was expected to follow his instructions, learn what he wanted me to learn, and follow the path he’d set out for me.”

“You didn’t agree with that, though. You wanted to take charge of your own life,” Phoenix filled in.

Weiss nodded in reply. “That’s why I came all the way here to attend Beacon. It was the furthest I could travel away from my father and his influence. Here I could be myself, make my own decisions, live my own life. I had such plans when I arrived.”

“Man’s well laid plans are the gods’ joke of the day,” Phoenix quoted.

“Indeed,” she agreed with a chuckle. “My first few days here I ended up in a dust explosion, was flirted with by some idiot blond who called me _Snow Angel_ and ended up being partnered with the same dolt who’d causing the explosion in the first place.”

Jaune flinched slightly at the reminder of their first meeting. He’d sometimes reflect back on the incident, cringing at how he had acted. It seemed Weiss shared the same views as he did, a detail that didn’t make him feel any better about himself. If she had noticed his flinch she either ignored it or thought it was sympathy in conjunction with her story. Either way he considered it a blessing she didn’t ask him about it and continued on.

She brought him up to speed on her initial take on her team, her early disagreements with their leader Ruby, and the subsequent adventures they shared with their sister team JNPR. Hearing things from her side Jaune couldn’t help but reminisce about those early days. It had only been a year and yet those memories were still fresh in his mind.

“Excuse me for asking but this Jaune character, was he the one who passed away?”

“Yes, he was,” Weiss said, her voice holding some obvious guilt to it.

Jaune was rather surprised by this. Normally her opinion of him was far less civil. In truth, he had expected her to skip over him entirely given how much of an annoyance she had viewed him as during their short time together. Yet, here was proof that the Ice Queen really did have a heart and apparently he’d found a place within it, albeit in a manner he never would have supported.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” he offered.

“Thank you. It’s been a little over a year but I still find it difficult to reflect on,” she said, wiping away a tear that had begun to form.

“I understand. Experiences like that can be hard to process. If you ever want to talk in the future, though, I’ll be here if you need me,” he said.

“Thank you,” she replied, genuinely grateful for his offer.

They brought themselves back on track where Weiss’ mood took an obvious shift in tone. The moment she started on the blond faunus that had fled from the boat, a fair amount of distain could be heard in her voice. It didn’t let up as she spoke of the argument that followed between her and Blake before culminating in the revelation of Blake being a faunus herself and a former member of the White Fang. Whatever sympathy Jaune might have had quickly dried up at this point though he strove to maintain a neutral opinion.

“And now those two have me running around Vale trying to find her. I consider myself lucky that you found her when you did.”

“Indeed,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion. “I think I have a better understanding of things now.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” he replied. “I can agree that Blake’s actions didn’t help her situation and that even now they’re more self-destructive than helpful.”

“Finally, someone who sees things clearly,” Weiss said with a content sigh.

“I also believe that your reaction to the revelation of her heritage, past, and commitment to your team’s attempts to find her thus far could use a great deal of improvement.”

“Excuse me!” she said, flabbergasted.

“Don’t interrupt,” he said in a stern voice.

His reaction to her interruption caught the young heiress off guard. She wasn’t used to people taking a stand against her, not unless they were her family, and the fierce look in Phoenix’s eyes had her strapped against the back of her chair. They burned with emotion and while none of it was hostile, there was no denying the indignation that was behind them.

“You told me that you left Atlas in order to escape your father’s influence. For that I applaud you. The fact that you wanted to take control of your own life is nothing but admirable in my eyes. However, you foolishly believed that with that individuality you’d still have your family’s influence to support your actions and propel you forward. While I wouldn’t assume you had intended as such, part of me believes that you felt you could come to Beacon and still rely on many of the entitlements you’d have received while still in Atlas.

I understand you hold yourself to a higher standard and I’d expect nothing less of you but you can’t force that standard upon everyone else that surrounds you. Not all of us are capable of reaching those same heights. We all come from different backgrounds each of which is propelling us in different directions. Some come from good and others from bad. People such as Blake come something entirely different.

People like her come from backgrounds filled with pain, suffering and heartache. Her life was filled with moments where she was judged simply for being different, for being a Faunus. I know you would argue the same for yourself but the fact of the matter is people judge you for the actions of your father. People judge Blake and others like her simply because they have ears on their head, or wings on their backs, or horns on their face. You can control people’s judgments of your family, she can’t.”

“So what am I supposed to do?” she asked in a quiet voice.

“That’s not something I can decide for you,” he said in a calmer tone. “I won’t you to forgive her nor can I ask you to accept her. All I can advise is that you take the time to listen and consider where she’s coming from. You’re going to be a team for quite some time and even after you’ve graduated Beacon you may find your paths crossing again.

It’s up to you to decide what direction your life will take. You came here to escape your father’s influence and decide your future for yourself. It’s time you started doing that. Don’t let his influence dictate how you view your teammates or yourself. Make your own decisions based on your own experiences. Don’t rely on others to show you the path you should take.”

Weiss could only nod her affirmation. His words, while abrasive, had been nothing but honest. It was almost as if she had been talked down to by her own reflection only through someone else. Phoenix took the silence as his cue to leave and did so with only a simple departing statement that she didn’t quite register.

“Weiss, everything alright?” she heard her partner and team leader ask her a moment later.

“I’m fine,” she replied.

“You sure? From where we were standing, he gave you a pretty heated talking down to,” Yang commented.

“It was necessary,” she admitted, more so to herself than to her team. “He mentioned that Blake would be at the docks tonight, correct?”

“Yea.”

“Then we should head back to Beacon and get ready. I have a feeling things are going to get hectic.”

* * *

Junior had been sitting on pins and needles ever since his encounter with Archangel. Though his men could sense the tense mood he was in none dared to ask him about it. They knew better to question the man on his mood, especially when they could be targeted as the next victim as a result.

The club had been fairly quiet all day. Considering things didn’t usually start to liven up until the later hours when people had left work and the night life began it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. However, the quiet only added to Junior’s paranoia as every little sound had him on edge, almost as if he expected someone to attack him in plain sight of his men.

It reached its height when his scroll buzzed, causing him to yelp in surprise. His men turned to look in his direction, some pulling out their weapons in expectation of some enemy that had somehow gotten past them. Junior quickly waved them down as he pulled it out of his breast pocket and regarded the name on the caller I.D. It was unknown. He scowled, walking into the backroom where it was quiet and he could yell at the telemarketer for bothering him.

“Whatever it is you’re selling I’m not interested,” he growled.

“ _Oh, I have to disagree with you there, Junior. I’m fairly certain you’ll be interested in what I’m offering_ ,” the familiar voice spoke from the other end.

“Archangel,” he said, his tone taking a 180 shift.

“ _Indeed. I’m calling in a favor._ ”

“A favor?”

“ _Yes, one I think you’ll be quite interested in._ ”

“What’s the favor?” Junior asked, more out of fear than curiosity.

“ _I want you to have the twins meet me down near the docks. I have an assignment for them. Make sure they wear something to conceal their identities. Wouldn’t want anyone to know you and yours were involved._ ”

“No, of course.”

“ _Very good and as a sign of good faith check your bank account._ ”

Hesitantly, Junior opened up an app on his scroll, taking him directly to his private account. His eyes widened as a substantial amount of lien that hadn’t been there before was now padding the inside of his checking statement.

“ _Are we square?_ ” Archangel’s voice asked from the other end of the line.

“I’ll make sure they get there on time, no hassles,” Junior answered with a little more confidence in his voice.

“ _Excellent,_ ” he said before hanging up.

* * *

**Vale Dock’s – Blake**

Blake lay against the roof of a nearby warehouse overlooking the docks. She’d been there for an hour with nothing suspicious happening to denote the White Fang were going to show. Part of her hoped nothing would come of it. Whether it meant Phoenix’s information had been bad or that nothing would actually happen, it would at least help her argument against Weiss in support of her people. On the other hand, if something did go down, there was no telling just how volatile it could prove.

As her eyes gazed out on the docks below her ears twitched as she heard some soft footsteps behind her. She tensed her body, ready to spring into action as soon as her assailant drew closer. The moment he was within range she sprang into action. Taking Gambol Shroud in hand she pounced, knocking her assailant to the ground with her blade at his throat.

“Who are you and why are you following me?” she hissed.

“Woah, calm down. I’m a friend,” the blond said, holding up his hands in surrender, both of which were holding an apple.

“I don’t recall numbering you among my friends.”

“We meet a couple days ago. We passed each other after I leapt off the boat and made a run for it.”

“Wait, you’re the faunus stowaway,” she said, recalling him passing her on the street.

“Yep, Sun Wu Kong, nice to meet you,” he said with a sunny smile.

“What are you doing following me?”

“We, I saw your friends out looking for you and I noticed you were headed towards the docks. I figured I’d tag along and see if you needed help.”

“Ugh,” Blake said, rolling her eyes as she picked herself up off Sun.

“Hungry? I brought you something to eat,” he said, holding up the apples.

“Did you steal those?” she asked.

“Does it matter?”

She glared at him, causing the boy to flinch back before retaking her position on the roof. Sun jostled on over to her, crouching down as he looked out and bit into one of the apples.

“What are we looking for?” he asked.

“ _I_ am watching for the White Fang. You, on the other hand, should get back to Beacon.”

“And leave you here alone? Not a chance,” he scoffed. “Besides, why are you looking for the White Fang? Why would you want to get involved with those freaks?”

“Because I used to be one of those freaks,” she said.

“You what?” he nearly screamed.

His response was loud enough that it prompted Blake to grab his shirt and yank down to her level. She scanned the area, checking to make sure his sudden outburst hadn’t drawn any unwanted attention before returning her fierce glare to him.

“Do you want to alert all of Vale to our presence?”

“Sorry, I was just surprised. You don’t seem like the type to go running around with terrorists.”

“They weren’t always that way and, if I’m lucky, I’ll have a chance to prove that tonight.”

“Then I should definitely stick around,” he said. “It’ll be more believable if there are multiple witnesses rather than just one,” he argued the moment she glared at him.

“Fine but keep quiet and stay out of my way,” she said.

“Whatever you say.”

* * *

“How much longer do we have to wait?” Yang asked, moaning as she leaned against the side of a ware house.

“As long as we have to. Phoenix said Blake would be here tonight. If something should happen it would be better for us to grab her as soon as she makes an appearance. If we go out searching for her she may notice us and make a break for it.”

“She might not if someone hadn’t freaked out on her,” Yang shot back.

Weiss growled but suppressed the urge to argue. “I’ll admit I could have handled things better. I’ll be sure to remedy that as soon as we have our entire team back together,” she said.

“Woah, hold on a second, did you just admit you were wrong?” Yang asked, disbelief smeared all over her face. “Man, whatever Phoenix said to you must have done a number to your ego to have changed you so much in such a short amount of time.”

“Our conversation is none of your business,” Weiss snapped, “but I’ll admit he did bring up some viable evidence that has led me to reevaluate my attitude.”

“He must be one hell of a guy to have inspired such a quick change in you, Ice Queen,” Yang said, wiggling her eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Xio Long,” she replied.

“Whatever you say. Still, he is a fairly good looking guy. Who knows, a few more meetings and I may try my own hand at him,” she said.

The mortified look on Weiss’ face was enough to cause a devious smirk to spread across her face. Weiss growled, irritated that she’d been goaded so easily. It wasn’t that she like Phoenix (he was attractive in his own way but that was neither here nor there) she simply trusted him. If he told her that Blake would be at the docks then she trusted he wasn’t misleading them. Still, there was always the chance that he being nice was simply as a ploy. If that proved true she’d be sure to leave him with more than just an amputated arm as payment.

* * *

“See anything?” Ruby asked Penny.

The girl was scanning the area, looking for anything suspicious. Not long after going out to find Blake they’d run into the strange girl. While she acted odd at times she and Ruby had become quick friends, prompting the young leader to recruit her in their efforts to locate Blake.

“I’m sorry friend Ruby but my sensors can’t pick up anyone matching friend Blake’s features,” she said.

“Your what?”

“Oops, I mean, I don’t see anything out of the ordinary,” she said with a forced smile.

“Yea, neither can I,” Ruby said as she looked out over the docks through her scope. “Blake is fairly good at hiding when she wants to.”

“Did she and friend Weiss have a disagreement?” Penny asked.

“More like a fight. It didn’t go too well. I don’t really care which one of them is right, though. I just want our team to be back together, safe and sound.”

“Ruby, I’m picking up- I mean, I see something overhead,” Penny said, pointing towards the coast.

Ruby took a look through her scope and sure enough saw several bull heads headed towards the docks. There were no visible markings to denote them as Vale or SDC bullheads but Ruby had a feeling there was nothing good about their presence.

“I’ll send Weiss and Yang a message. Something tells me it’s about to get hectic.”

* * *

Archangel watched intently as the bullheads descended onto the docks and unloaded their passengers. As expected there was a large group of White Fang and as an added bonus Roman Torchwick himself. Jaune smiled beneath his mask, elated to see the prime target he’d been gunning for finally within reach.

“Whoa, is that Torchwick?” Miltia asked.

“It is. We can’t be seen here or he’ll come after Junior and us,” Melanie said.

“ _You needn’t worry about him. His focus will be on me tonight. You two are simply in charge of crowd control_ ,” Archangel instructed. “ _Wait for an opening where he’s distracted then swoop on in. Your targets are the White Fang only. No killing though broken bones are acceptable. Any one not wearing a black hoodie and Grimm mask is off limits._ ”

“You say that like you’re expecting company.”

“ _I say that because I expect civilians to be caught in the crossfire_ ,” she said, fixing his gave on the girls.

The twins, Miltia and Melanie, had arrived on time as ordered. Despite his advice on hiding their identities they’d both shone up in their signature White and Crimson combat skirts. The only difference in their appearance were the masks they wore over their faces. To say they hide their identities was a stretch. In truth, they looked more like Mardi Gra masks that had been customized to match their outfits perfectly. Jaune could only assume they were an accessory they’d made for some party or event, enough to set them apart without really requiring them to make any changes.

“ _Just focus on your targets, check your surroundings, do as I say and we’ll all go home happy_ ,” he said.

 _Everyone except Torchwick that is_ he thought to himself. If he managed to grab the prince of crime himself it would go a long way to pinning down Merlot’s location or at least give them a general idea of where he was operating out of.

“Whatever,” the twins said in unison.

Jaune rolled his eyes. He did not envy Junior for having to put up with these two. Hopefully it would only be for tonight. He couldn’t imagine working with them for a prolonged amount of time.

As if on cue Torchwick’s presence had attracted some attention in the form of Blake Belladonna. He could make out one other figure with her, a blonde though even from this distance it was easy to see it wasn’t Yang. Their fight, while admirable, was over soon after it began. Apparently her attempts to appeal to her fellow Faunus didn’t go as well as she had assumed it would. Not long after Yang, Ruby, and Weiss joined the fray.

“Hey, Melanie, isn’t that the blonde bitch who destroyed the club?”

“I think it is, Miltia. She looks a hell of a lot like her.”

“ _Ignore her, she’s not your target_.”

“Screw that, we owe her something for trashing our club.”

“ _Lay one finger of them and you’ll answer to me for it_ ,” Archangel growled.

Even with his voice being distorted, the tone of his voice and look in his eyes was enough to have the two girls flinch, nodding their heads frantically in acknowledgment. His attention was quickly turned back to the docks when an explosion rippled across their vantage point. He couldn’t tell but he had a sneaking suspicion that Torchwick had done something to cause it. Whatever the case, it would work to his advantage.

“ _Let’s go_ ,” he said, jumping off the roof and trusting the twins to follow.

* * *

Blake’s body screamed out in pain. Her aura, while enough to guard her against Torchwick’s initial attacks, had been less successful in protecting her against the massive dust explosion that followed. Leave it to Torchwick to do something so crazy and suicidal that it would manage to take out his enemies while leaving him unscathed.

The young faunus crawled over to Sun’s unconscious body. The boy had proven skilled with his Nunchuck shotguns but he was no match for the exorbitant criminal. He’d been taken out with ease and the dust explosion hadn’t helped his situation. She struggled to rise to her feet but a shock of pain sent her back down her knees. She needed medical attention and quickly.

“End of the line, kitty kat,” Torchwick’s snide voice said.

Blake turned to regard him with a fierce glare as she stared down the barrel of his cane.

“I’ll admit you put up an admirable fight but this is where it ends. Hate to see you go but love to watch you leave.”

He smirked as he pulled the trigger on his cane. The next few moments happened in slow motion, intermingled with visions of her past as her life flashed before her eyes. The business end of the can lit up as the dust round flew out the barrel. Torchwick’s eyes lit up, excitement tinging the edges as he watched for the expected outcome. Then, a flash of silver that knocked the cane aside, sending the dust round flying into a nearby building where it took out a chunk of the wall. Torchwick soon followed as his assailant shoved him out and away from Blake.

“Thank you,” Blake said, exhausted but otherwise grateful for the save.

“ _Don’t mention it_ ,” her benefactor replied.

The tone of his voice caught her off guard and she looked up to take in the man’s features. Her eyes widened as she gazed up her savior. Apart from the hoodie, face mask, and jeans which all hid most of his features what stuck out to her were his metal arm from which a long metallic blade protruded from the wrist and his eyes, a mixture of red and orange, gazed down at her.

“W-who are you?” she asked.

“ _Archangel, though you can call me a friend,_ ” he said, his voice causing a shiver to slip down her spine at how disturbing it sounded.

Before she could ask anything further of him his eyes flicked back over to Torchwick. He immediately crouched, a large circular metal shield unfolding from a thin wrist band he wore along his wrist and forearm. It was quickly followed by an explosion as something collided with the metal causing flames to erupt around the edges.

“Not back. You’ve got skills and finesse, I’ll give you that much,” Torchwick commented.

“ _I’m just getting started_ ,” Archangel replied, lowering his shield as he rose to his feet.

“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” the criminal asked.

“ _You don’t remember? Then allow me to jog your memory_ ,” he said as he charged forward.

Blake watched in awe as Archangel covered the distance between himself and Torchwick, putting the criminal on the defensive as hacked and slashed at him. Emerging from the rubble several members of the White Fang caught sight of the ensuing battle and moved to support their employer. Blake made to warn him but before she could say anything a girl in a crimson red skirt and mask with long blade like claws attached to her wrist intervened, taking down the terrorists with ease.

“Blake! Blake, are you alright?” Yang asked, making her way to her partner.

“Yang, what are you doing here?” she asked.

“A friend told us where we could find you. It’s a good thing too. We’d better get you out of here and to a hospital quick.”

“Yang, I was wrong. The White Fang-“

“Forget them, worry more about yourself,” Yang interrupted, slinging the girl’s arm over her shoulder as she helped her to her feet.

* * *

“I remember you now,” Torchwick said, dodging a slash of his opponent’s blade as it sailed across his face and clipped the feather in his hat. “You’re the vigilante whose been making it difficult for me to acquire dust recently.”

“ _I’m going to do more than that. I have someone who’s interested in speaking with you_.”

“Then have him make an appointment and I’ll see where I can fit him in.”

“ _He’d prefer to speak with you face to face and, to be frank, I pride myself on being able to deliver._ ”

Sparks flew as their weapons collided with one another. Torchwick grunted and sneered as his opponent put him through his paces. Archangel showed no signs of faltering nor slowing down. In truth, Jaune had been put through some intense and extensive training. While he had enrolled into Beacon with little to no experience whatsoever, his days spent under Lazarus’ tutelage had molded him into a machine capable of holding his own against multiple opponents.

“As fun as this has been I really should be going. Neo, some assistance if you please!” Torchwick called out.

As the criminal began sprinting back towards a waiting bullhead, Jaune made to follow. He had just enough composure to notice the boot that came flying towards his face and raised his shield as he slide down on his knees, blocking the attack as he regained his footing.

He turned to see a young girl with hair split between chocolate and pink, with eyes to match, holding a parasol over her shoulder. She was a little over half his height and looked to be the same age as himself but the devilish look in her eyes coupled with the speed and force of her attack had him thinking otherwise.

The girl was dangerous, that much was for certain, but his real target was making his escape while he wasted his time regarding his new opponent. Making a decision he charged after Torchwick only to have the girl attack him from behind. He rolled, regaining his composure as he snarled at his assailant. She was a distraction, nothing more, but it was enough to make sure he didn’t lay claim to his prize.

“Neo, time to go!” Torchwick yelled from the bullhead.

Neo made a dramatic bow before using a series of jumps and flips to propel her into the air and into the bullhead’s open hatch. Archangel could only stand and watch as his prey flew away while two others came in to clean up the mess.

“What now?” Miltia asked, dragging an unconscious White Fang member with her.

“ _You and you sister head back to Junior’s. We’re done for tonight. Should I require your services again I’ll be in touch._ ”

“What about Torchwick?”

“ _He’s none of your concern. Now, head home,_ ” Archangel instructed.

The young woman didn’t bat an eye before signaling to her sister. The two of them made themselves scarce as the two bullheads made their way towards the docks. No doubt they had been hijacked by the White Fang. With nowhere to run and nothing to hide behind, Jaune could only stand his ground. He unfurled his shield, preparing to make himself as small a target as possible when the bullets started flying. They didn’t get a chance.

A bright green stream of light shot out towards the bullheads. In a matter of seconds they were sliced in two with parts of the aircraft splashing down into the harbor. Jaune zeroed in on the source, his eyes fixing on a young girl with bright orange hair and half a dozen swords levitating before her. There was no doubt she had been the source of the attack. He knew the capabilities of his sister team’s members, at least he assumed he did, and none of them were capable of such a feet.

“ _Who is that girl?_ ” he mused to himself.

“Hey you, hold it right there!” a woman yelled.

Jaune turned to see Yang, her gauntlets cocked and ready, with Weiss standing next to her in a threatening pose. Ruby wasn’t too far behind, Blake leaning on her shoulders for support. It was obvious she was lapsing in and out of consciousness but his main concern where the two girls looking to fight him head on.

“ _I have no quarrel with you,_ ” he said.

“If you’re with Torchwick or the White Fang then you can bet you have a quarrel with us,” Yang replied.

“Yang, don’t!” Blake managed to cry out. “He’s not one of them. He’s a friend. He saved my life.”

“What?” she asked, lowering her gauntlets just a bit.

“ _The girl speaks truth. She’d be dead if I hadn’t stepped in before Torchwick could finish her off._ ”

“A likely story but you could just as easily be working with them,” Weiss pointed out.

“ _I highly doubt that. Most people know he and I don’t quite see eye to eye._ ”

“What makes you say that?” Yang asked.

“ _Because I’m Archangel,_ ” he stated.

His words came at a bit of a surprise. For a moment there was a flash of disbelief on their faces but, upon closer inspection, they began to see the subtle details that denoted him as the true vigilante. They didn’t get much more time to investigate as the sound of sirens soon filled the air. The moment their attention was drawn away he took advantage of the situation and quickly departed. Just when they returned their attention to him he was gone, vanished into the night.

“Well, that was something,” Yang said.

“Indeed,” Weiss agreed. “I hope we don’t meet him again but, knowing our team, I doubt this will be our last meeting.”

“We’ll just have to interrogate him before he can escape next time.”

* * *

Jaune looked out onto the wreckage from his vantage point. Fire blazed all over the harbor, spreading to several buildings as firefighters worked frantically to bring it under control. Parts of bullheads were strewn everywhere and White Fang operatives were being apprehended by the handfuls. Despite the damage caused to Torchwick’s operations he couldn’t count this as a victory. He’d failed to apprehend Torchwick, his little bodyguard a factor he hadn’t planned on.

He’d have to retreat and regroup. Hopefully he’d be able to glen something from this defeat and use it to his advantage next time. With Lazarus on his way into Vale, though, he just might have something in mind for his next assignment. Taking one last look out onto the scene below he disappeared back into the night.

* * *

**Just a little heads up to all my followers I may be moving my stuff over to AO3 within the next couple of weeks. I’m still waiting on approval for membership and I’ll see how different it is from fanfiction but if I find it preferable I’ll be sure to give you all a heads up on the change.**

**So, those of you who have been staying up to date on “World War Remnant” you might have found the exchanges between Phoenix and Weiss as well as the fight at the docks to be somewhat similar to this. While I can’t disagree with the similarities, the one thing I can argue is that, when you’re writing two stories of which the chapters coincide with the same event, it’s difficult to distinguish them apart. Still, I tried to make this as unique to the story as possible.**

**Some subtle changes to how some of the characters meet one another. Penny is going to be a major part of the story moving forward. I won’t give away too much but she’ll prove to be somewhat useful to team RWBY in discovering Archangel’s true identity.**

**Glad to finally have this chapter done, though. I’m looking to update “World War Remnant” after this but I have vacation time coming up at the end of the week and I tend to become a lazy piece of crap as a result so no promises on how soon it’ll be dropped.**


	5. Teamwork

**Beacon Academy – Memorial Sight – Weiss**

"Hey Jaune, it's been a while," Weiss said, feeling a little awkward for talking to a slab of stone.

The stone slab that bore Jaune Arc's name and stood in place of his actual body said nothing in return to the young huntress. Despite the unusual weather they'd been experiencing the stone showed no signs of corrosion or blemish, a testament to the quality and care Beacon's Headmaster had taken in creating a monument that would last and honor the young man's sacrifice. Flowers dotted the resting place, many of them left there by his former teammates, but accompanying them now was a bouquet of yellow roses that Weiss had brought herself. The roses represented friendship and, had she been a little younger and a little less mature, she would have scoffed at the idea of Jaune and herself having ever been friends. Things had changed, though, in more ways than one.

"A lot has happened the past few weeks. More and more students from the other academies are starting to make their way to Vale for the upcoming Vytal festival. Team RWBY is obviously going to be in attendance. Your team is also entering. Ren has taken up the mantle of leader in your absence. Some people think their chances of making very far in the tournament are slime but they're determined to do their best. I heard Ozpin even offered to transfer another student to the team to help fill in the gap. They refused, of course. They don't want to do anything that might make it feel like they're replacing you. I can sympathize."

She was silent, feeling the cool breeze that wafted through the trees. At first this whole one sided conversation had seemed silly and unbecoming of a Schnee. However, the more she spoke the better she seemed to feel. Even her therapist, Dr. Wong, had noticed a change and openly encouraged her to perform this "ritual" of hers. She said it was allowing her to give her emotions an outlet as well as come to terms with what had happened.

"Our team had an incident not too long ago. Blake had run away and- "she hesitated for a moment, considering her words and actions, "it was mostly due to my reaction. She revealed to us that she was a Faunus and a former White Fang member. I let my emotions dictate my actions and she ran away as a result.

We found her, though. It shouldn't come as a surprise that our team somehow managed to end up in a squabble between Roman Torchwick and the White Fang that somehow ended with the docks being on fire."

The one thing she neglected to mention was the sudden appearance of Archangel along with two other masked young women. While she considered this information to be superfluous it was no doubt troubling. A team of hunters and huntresses, a Crime lord, a terrorist organization, and a well-known vigilante had all somehow found themselves in a three-way battle which ended with several people injured, including two of their own, as well as the loss of enough dust to cause her father to go on a rampage once the news reached his ears.

What she found strange about the whole incident, of which there were several points of interest she could have picked out off the top of her head, was how Archangel had known Torchwick would be there. What's more, he purposely intervened in his battle with Blake just when he was about to land the finishing blow. Blake had refused to give up her sources on how she had known the White Fang would be at the docks or at least claimed she had just been at the right place at the right time. Weiss knew better but, with their team still recovering from the incident, she decided it was best to put off questioning her until a later date. For now, she could only speculate.

"I've met someone, a friend mind you. He's not someone I consider worth calling a suitor but," she paused for moment, reflecting on the few conversations she'd had with Phoenix and the way she felt about their interactions, "he'd kind and considerate. He treats me like a person and not the heiress to the SDC. It's refreshing and something I'm not used to experiencing. He's very insightful and can be brash at times. He's not afraid to tell me what he thinks of me or my actions which can be irritating at times," she said with a huff. "Doesn't mean I didn't deserve such treatment, though."

"It's nice, though. Having him around I don't feel so alone anymore. It can be very lonely and I haven't exactly done anything to mitigate it. Still, when all you've ever known is what it means to be isolated, having someone who makes you feel welcome is a breath of fresh air."

Her eyes slowly traced Jaune's name chiseled into the stone slab. Her mind replayed all the memories she had of the young knight as well as the way she had acted around him and treated him. Right up until the end she had pushed him away and just knowing that left a pit in her stomach that ached with regret.

"I hope I never made you feel that way, Jaune. I hope, wherever you are, you're happy and in good company."

"Hey Weiss, who are you talk- oh!" Ruby, her team leader and partner said, walking into the clearing.

"Ruby, I was just, uh," Weiss began, scrapping her brain for some excuse to use.

"It's okay, I understand," the young reaper said, putting a hand on Weiss' shoulder for support.

"Y-you do?" she asked, somewhat surprised.

"Of course," she said, shifting her gaze to look at the memorial. "You know, my mother died when I was very young. I was too little to remember much about her but what memories I do have are all precious to me and full of happiness.

Every year, on the anniversary of her passing, Yang, Dad, and I would all go to her grave. We'd take a lunch, have a picnic, and talk. I'd tell her everything from what was going on at school as well as my hopes and dreams. I never knew if she was listening to me or if she could even hear me but just having her there to talk to, even if it meant just being able to say those things out loud, it helped a lot."

"Ruby," Weiss said, a feeling of warmth coming over her. She was surprised by how mature her partner's explanation was though, in truth, the young girl had a way of surprising her like that at times.

"I know you still feel guilty about what happened and I know there's nothing I can say to make you think otherwise or convince you to forgive yourself. What I will say is don't feel embarrassed about coming out here to give your thoughts and feelings a voice. If you need to let them out then let them out, don't keep them bottled up inside.

Besides, if anything I sure Jaune is listening and I bet he's ecstatic that it's you of all people who's taking the time to talk to him."

"Yea, I guess you're right," the young heiress agreed as the two girls quickly fell into a fit of giggles. "So, why are you here? Were you coming to visit Jaune as well?"

"Actually I was looking for you," Ruby said.

"Me? What for?"

"Yang and I wanted to play a board game. Yang's going to wrangle Blake into it and we need a fourth player."

"Seriously? A board game?"

"Please Weiss," Ruby begged.

"Ruby, honestly, why would I be interested in playing something so childish?"

"It's not childish, it's fun!" Ruby replied, grabbing Weiss' arm and dragging her along to the library. "Come on, I'll teach you how to play."

* * *

**Vale – Jaune's Apartment – Jaune**

"You've made the papers, the front page no less," Lazarus said, putting the paper down on the coffee table.

Jaune, disguised as his alter ego Phoenix, sat opposite him, a solemn frown on his face. His benefactor and otherwise guardian had arrived late last night. He'd come ahead in preparation for the Vytal festival, an excuse he used not only to keep up appearances with Ozpin and Ironwood as a representative of Mistral but also so he could meet with him in private. He said nothing the night before, insisting he needed sleep more than anything, and had left Jaune to ponder on how he would broach the subject that had been plaguing him for quite some time.

Following the events at the docks, Archangel's appearances had been as sporadic as Torchwick's and the White Fang's. Neither had been very active since the incident and as a result neither had he. Still, rumors and stories persisted as people looked forward to his next appearance. This wasn't his main concern, however. What had garnered his concern were those who'd involved themselves at the docks.

Team RWBY's violent reinsertion into his life, in some cases literally, had come as a bit of a shock though not one that he had been unprepared for. In truth he had expected to see them as well as members of his former team. However, his expectation has always been that he would see them as an observer on the sidelines just as they would no doubt see him when acting under the identity of Archangel, both knowing of the other's existence without ever having intimate interactions. That had all come crashing down when he bumped into Weiss at the coffee shop and from there it was all downhill.

What surprised him most wasn't how he found it an annoyance that they were unintentionally forcing their way back into his life. On the contrary, he was actually quite grateful for the interactions albeit feeling somewhat guilty that their relationship with him was built on the continued lie of him having died. Still, putting his feelings aside he realized just how dangerous it was to have these close, personal interactions with his former sister team. It would only be a matter of time before he ran into his former teammates and from there things would be complicated. He wasn't sure how he would interact with them or if he would be capable of interacting with them at all without blowing his cover.

Thus, the moment he heard Lazarus would be in town he set about to broach the issue. While it had seemed simple enough starting out, allowing the world to think he was dead and using it as a cover to operate without the worry of endangering the lives of his friends or family, the practical application had been more difficult than he'd first realized. Perhaps it was simply the fact that he was in Vale, close to his piers or simply the fact that he was growing tired of playing at being "Phoenix" and missed being Jaune, even if it meant sacrificing all the benefits that had come with his new identity. Whatever the case he needed guidance.

"You've been oddly quiet," Lazarus stated. "More so than usual."

"I've had some things on my mind, some things I've been meaning to discuss with you," he admitted.

"I see," Lazarus said, taking on a more serious tone, "well then, what is it you wanted to discuss?"

"You're aware that the incident at the docks included the intervention from some students from Beacon, correct?" he asked.

"I am," Lazarus agreed, "I take it they were people you knew."

"They're members of team RWBY. They're all people my team and I were close to and knew fairly well."

"You fear these interactions may have detrimental effects on your overall mission," Lazarus guessed.

"In a manner, though not entirely."

"Then please, clarify for me."

"My first interaction came when I ran into Weiss Schnee at a small coffee shop here in Vale. From there several incidents led me to meeting and speaking with the other members on a more personal level. While I've tried to keep my distance I'm afraid that such would be impossible and it's only a matter of time before I run into the members of my former team as well. From there things may take a turn for the worst."

"You think they'll be able to see through your disguise?"

"Yes, two of them at least. As Phoenix I may be able to play myself off, especially considering… you know," he said, motioning to his absent appendage, "but as Archangel I've no doubt my fighting style would give myself away. Pyrrha herself trained me. She'd know it was me after a short interaction and Ren, while more reserved, is incredibly insightful. I don't think it would take long for them to figure out what's happened or at least come to their own conclusions."

"I see, that does sound like a pressing matter," Lazarus agreed in a thoughtful tone. "What do you suggest then? Should we move you from the area?"

"No, no, nothing that drastic," Jaune quickly countered. "Actually, I was thinking of something more like including them in our investigation."

Lazarus' understanding gaze soon turned hard. He leaned back in his seat, fixing Jaune with his gaze. It was a look he seldom saw the man take but one he knew full well meant he disagreed with what he'd just suggested. He'd been prepared for this, however, and had considered an explanation for his reasons behind it that, he hoped, would be enough to convince the man.

"Jaune…"

"Hear me out," he interrupted, holding out his hand to quiet the man. "Recent events have already shown that the criminal underworld is aware of their presence or rather their interference. With Blake's history in the White Fang it's doubtful she'll just ignore any future attacks by them. Not only that, I have a feeling her team will be dragged along for the ride as well and, considering who's leading them, I'm fairly certain it'll be of their own volition.

Knowing that it's safe to say my team will be dragged into it as well. With everyone on board, giving them a greater spectrum of what's really going on may help increase our chances of us finding and locating Merlot. It's only a matter of time before they stumble onto one of his old research facilities and, honestly, I'd rather they do it on their own terms, not simply because they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

While Jaune had done his best to convey his argument in a manner that showcased the worth of having more people he trusted helping them out. It didn't elude him that his tone sounded somewhat desperate, almost begging as he spoke. This obviously didn't escape Lazarus either as his expression hadn't changed the entire time. He had sat calmly, listening with a patience that denoted the formulation of a counter-argument which would no doubt throw a wrench into Jaune's plans.

"I don't doubt the faith and trust you have in your teammates," Lazarus began, his tone calm and measured. "I have seen their transcripts and must admit I am impressed by what I have found. Even if we were to discount Miss Nikos, whose skill alone would bolster our efforts greatly, the fact that Miss Rose was admitted into Beacon at such an early age is a testament to her skill and prowess."

"But," Jaune said, knowing full well his words were meant simply to act as a cushion against the inevitable disappointment that was to follow.

"Merlot is no fool, Jaune. The man would no doubt take notice of their increased involvement and the fact that they would be seeking out his abandoned facilities looking for clues that might point them in the right direction. The moment he realizes this, not only will he lead them to himself but he'll have set a trap that would ultimately find them being used as bait to lure us out into the open. Involving them would no doubt invite the possibility of them becoming a burden rather than an asset."

"Does that really matter, though? They're going to stumble on one of his old facilities whether we like it or not. Wouldn't it be better if it were on our terms?" Jaune argued.

"No, it would not. Think about it. If a group of students were to _discover_ one of his facilities without any prior knowledge of its existence, it might draw his attention. However, if it were to happen again but with the same results Merlot would take note but wouldn't view it as much of a threat. He knows Ozpin runs Beacon but not even he is stupid enough to knowingly send students into an abandoned and dangerous research complex that may or may not still be inhabited by the remnants of his experiments on the Grimm. It would be suicide, especially if they weren't prepared for what they were to discover.

That being said, any subsequent discoveries would no doubt include the presence of a teacher, ensuring the safety of his students and almost guaranteeing Merlot would know Ozpin is aware of his existence but isn't actively working to find him. He would see their involvement as something to monitored but otherwise of no real threat.

There's also the problem of you revealing yourself to them at this stage of the game."

"It would be on my terms," Jaune attempted to interject.

"And do you honestly think they would put aside the fact that, while they assumed you were dead you were in fact in Mistral, alive and well?" Lazarus argued back.

"I didn't have much of a choice," Jaune said in retort.

"Bullshit," Lazarus commented, causing Jaune to flinch in surprise. He seldom, if ever heard the man swear and to hear it now meant he was quickly losing patience with him. "I gave you a choice. From the very beginning I gave you the option of returning home to your family, to your team, to Beacon and continuing your life there. The option was open to you from the start and you instead choose to stay and train, using your apparent death as the foundation for your new life and identity."

"Even so you still chose to keep my existence from Ozpin. With all your resources there's little doubt you knew who I was the moment you dragged me up from the bay. It was your choice to transport me from Vale to Mistral without ever letting him know. That is on you," Jaune countered.

"You're right, Jaune, that was my choice," Lazarus admitted.

Jaune felt a thrill of excitement well up in him. He had to repress the urge to smile at his small victory. Though he'd gained some ground in the argument the calm, relaxed manner in which Lazarus regarded him was proof that his attack hadn't done much damage. Lazarus still had something waiting in the rafters.

"At the time I had a hunch you were a student from Beacon and I chose not to relay my find to Ozpin. Had you taken the option to return home I would have admitted to Ozpin of what I'd done, albeit after arguing that my reasons for doing so were founded in a completely justifiable concern that my facility would be better equipped to help you heal and recover compared to anything Vale might have to offer."

" _Here's the setup,_ " Jaune thought to himself, " _so where's the crushing blow?_ "

"That being said, it has been a year since your _apparent_ passing, a year in which your friends and family have mourned for you, come to terms with your death, and have subsequently moved on with their lives. Now, after a few encounters on the street and an incident at the docks involving Torchwick and the White Fang you want to rip that reality to shreds by revealing to them that you've been alive this whole time? Tell me, Jaune, how do you think that scenario will pan out, hmm? Do you think they'll be willing to forgive and forget, to put the past behind them in favor of celebrating the reveal that a son, friend, and leader they once assumed had died was in fact alive and living under their noses the entire time? Do you honestly think they'll just ignore a years' worth of tragedy, regret, and suffering just like that?" He asked, before taking a breath and striking the finishing blow. "Would you?"

Jaune couldn't say anything. He was fuming, his anger boiling to the surface before it was quickly snuffed out by his overall quilt. He hated him for being right. He didn't want to admit it, not out loud, but Lazarus had struck the nail on the head.

In the grand scheme of things, a year wasn't a very long time. Compared to most events that took place throughout a human life, a single year wasn't much to consider as having that great of an impact. However, it was a year that was shared among several other people. Not just his teammates but his family as well. To them the year he'd been deceased must have been a difficult time for them to handle. He, on the other hand, had had little in the way of time to mourn. All of his time had been spent training, acclimating his body to the new arm followed by various lessons in stealth and combat. He'd been preparing while they had been healing.

Unable to deal with Lazarus' condemning gaze on him, Jaune rose from his seat before quickly heading for the door. He snatched up his coat with no particular destination in mind and was slipping it on when Lazarus spoke up.

"Where are you headed?"

"What does it matter to you?" he asked, his frustration evident in his tone.

"Curiosity mostly. I'll be spending most of my time in meetings with Ozpin and General Ironwood so I just wanted to have a general idea of where you'd be."

"I'll be out," Jaune said, being as vague as possible in his response. "You worried that I'm going to go against your orders and tell my friends anyway?"

"They weren't orders they were my professional opinion as well as my advice. That and I know for a fact you won't be revealing yourself to them anytime soon."

"What makes you say that?" Jaune snarled.

"I already gave my reasons why. The fact of the matter is you've been gone far too long to even hope of regaining their trust simply on a whim."

Jaune didn't answer. All Lazarus heard was the sound of the door opening before it quickly slammed home. He sipped at his coffee, Jaune's childish and immature actions, while not surprising for someone his age, were completely uncalled for. Despite what he may think he'd been in control of his destiny from the start. While he may want to blame him for the circumstances that he now found himself under, the fact of the matter was he'd made a choice and that choice had now grown to define him. Only question now was what direction would he decide to take with that little nugget of information buzzing around in his head?

* * *

**Vale – Coffee Shop – Weiss**

Weiss sat in her favorite café, sipping thoughtfully at her drink. As the warm liquid cascaded down her throat she breathed a sigh, content to have some time to relax. The incident at the docks, while still fresh in her mind, had somehow managed to find a way to plague her and her teammates despite their actions. Apart from the statement they'd given the local authorities, they'd been brought before Professor Ozpin not long after to explain their actions to him in person.

While finding themselves sitting before Beacon's Headmaster had been nerve racking enough, the stern gaze and intense lecture they'd received from Miss Goodwitch as a result had left them all feeling rattled. While Weiss despised finding her perfect record being besmirched while barely half-way through Beacon, she couldn't very well bring herself to shift the blame for her actions onto anyone else. True, Blake had gone looking for the White Fang and, as a result, had managed to land herself in a whole lot more trouble than she'd been able to handle. However, Weiss had been the one to allow her personal and family's prejudices to push her teammate away and the resulting outcome might have been avoided if she had simply reacted in a calmer manner.

Soon after, Ruby began coming up with excuses to have their team spent more time together in an effort to have them bond. While Weiss wasn't initially opposed to this idea, her leader and partner's manner of going about it was something to be desired. Her latest idea, which revolved around them playing something she referred to as a "board game" had gone about as well as one could have expected. While she knew the term "board game" was a reference to the fact that it was played on a board, Weiss had found it contained a double meaning not long after being forced into it. Neither she nor Blake had found much enjoyment out of the game though, to be fair, Blake's reasons were far less trivial.

Despite the disastrous results she'd encountered at the docks as well as the humiliating defeat she'd been forced to endure, Blake's desire to restore the White Fang to its previous iteration had only intensified. It was obvious that the girl had her mind on other things as she'd made multiple excuses for herself to spend all her time at the library, searching through numerous newspaper articles for any signs of recent White Fang activities. While the young heiress could sympathize with her teammate, especially after what they'd just been through, it was becoming apparent that it was taking a toll on her. Someone was going to have to intervene for her own good and Weiss wondered if that someone would have to be her.

Thankfully she could save that topic for another time as a familiar face caught her attention. Phoenix Ash entered the coffee shop, his stride stiff and rigid. He wore an intense look of irritation on his face that had the female barista acting rather nervous when he approached the counter to order. Something was bothering him, that much was for certain, and it obviously had his full attention as he passed by Weiss without giving her a sideways glance. He set himself in the corner, far from the window seat he usually frequented, before staring at his steaming cup with an intense glare.

Weiss knew that look well. As the White Fang attacks on her family's business became more violent and frequent, her father began to wear a similar expression whenever he was home. She had learned early on to avoid him, or say anything that might turn his ire on herself, and the same looked to apply in this situation. However, given her experience with Phoenix, it seemed odd that he would be so irritated. Usually he was calm and inviting, thus whatever had caused this change must have been recent.

It was conflicting for her to think about. Her instincts and experience told her to just leave him alone. Whatever was happening he could handle it himself. It would smooth over eventually. However, with recent events she had started to realize that not every situation could go ignored. Sometimes people needed someone close to them to help them overcome the problems that were plaguing them. Her internal debate took only a few seconds before she took a deep breath, steeling herself, before rising from her seat and heading over to Phoenix.

"Good morning Phoenix," she said cheerfully.

Phoenix's gaze rounded on her, his irritated glare causing her to flinch internally. The moment he realized who it was, however, his gaze softened and became almost apologetic.

"Weiss, my apologies, I hadn't noticed you here," he said.

"I only just arrived," she lied, choosing to ignore the fact he had walked by her earlier. "Mind if I join you?"

"By all means," he said, gesturing to the empty seat opposite himself.

"I hope I'm not intruding but you looked as if something was bothering you," she said, taking a seat.

"That obvious, huh?" he asked, managing a bitter smile as he took a sip of his coffee. "Yea, I just came from having a rather fruitless discussion with my employer," he said.

"Your employer?"

"Well, more like my benefactor. He was the man who helped me to get back on my feet after I lost my arm."

"I see. I take it this conversation you two had encompassed your work?" she inquired.

"You might say that," Phoenix mussed, taking a thoughtful sip of his coffee.

Weiss gave him a puzzled look, obviously unsure of what to think of his comment. Phoenix smiled softly, before taking a moment to collect his thoughts.

"It's a long story," he said, attempting to brush it off like it was nothing.

"That's good because I have a lot of time on my hands," she said with a sympathetic smile.

Phoenix gave her a questioning look, almost as if he was attempting to find some flaw in her response. It was a little disconcerting, being analyzed by someone she regarded as a friend. After a while, however, his gaze softened, content with what he saw.

"Permit me to pose a hypothetical scenario to you," he said.

"Does this hypothetical scenario revolve around someone I might know?" she asked, giving him a quizzical look as she spoke.

"I can't confirm nor deny the possibility that the person being presented might be similar to someone you know, though, I highly doubt it'll resemble them completely."

"Very well, what's the scenario?"

"Let's say for a moment that a young hunter, with no definitive gender, found themselves facing off against a Grimm. Normally this creature should be a cakewalk for them given their level of skill and abilities but something about this particular Grimm is different."

"Different how?" Weiss asked.

"It's stronger, tougher, and more aggressive."

"Isn't that usually how Grimm are? They are mindless creatures, after all," she pointed out.

"True, though to be more precise, even the mindlessness of the Grimm can be equated to something more akin to instinct. This specimen, on the other hand, isn't acting on instinct. On the contrary, its actions are more sporadic, like it's willing to attack anything and everything that moves, in this case the unfortunate hunter."

"So it's a mindless creature that's more mindless than usual?" Weiss clarified.

"In a manner, yes. Anyway, the hunter and Grimm face off with the latter finding it very difficult to handle the creature. It pushes them to their limits, forcing them to consider options that are borderline suicidal, in this case leading it over a cliff edge that will ensure its demise but would also come at the cost of their life as well. In the end they take the chance and succeed only to find themselves sharing the same fate."

"So the scenario ends with them both dying?" Weiss asked.

"I said they shared the same fate, I didn't clarify that the hunter was dead."

"So they lived," Weiss concluded.

"The hunter did, yes, but please, no more interruptions. Let me finish the scenario first."

"Very well, please continue."

"The hunter survives, though the price for having narrowly escaped death comes at a great cost. Having paid this price and being left for dead they are unknowingly rescued from their fate by a Good Samaritan who nurses them back to health before presenting them with an offer, one that could prove quite beneficial to them in the long run.

The hunter has the option to have their savior contact their family and team, notifying them of their survival and insuring they are not presumed dead. They can then return to their previous life, pick up from where they left off, and act as if nothing had ever happened. However, they would always be marked by the price they had to pay to narrowly escape death's clutches, not to mention be left in the dark regarding the nature of the Grimm they had just barely survived against as well as wonder whether there were more like it out roaming Remnant.

The other option would be to remain dead, as far as their team and relatives are concerned. In secret they would be trained, honing their skills and recuperating from the events they'd barely managed to survive, before heading back out into the world in search of the origins of this Grimm. Their _death_ would benefit them by ensuring their friends and family never came under fire from their adversaries, allowing them to operate without fear of the repercussions. It would also enable them to investigate the origins of the Grimm they faced, discover who created it, and essentially stop them from unleashing more of them onto the citizens of Remnant."

At this point Phoenix took a swig of his drink, his throat having grown dry from talking so much. "So, Miss Schnee, if you were presented with one of these two options, which would you choose?"

"The former, obviously," Weiss said in a tone that suggested the choice should have been a no brainer.

Weiss didn't see how anyone could have chosen the latter option. Despite his wording, being permanently marked by a Grimm was not something she was foreign to. Her own desire to become a huntress despite her father's protests and wishes had led to the man to make her prove herself capable of following such a path by facing off against a Geist Grimm that had possessed a large suit of antique armor her father owned. The task had been challenging, forcing her to put all of the training she'd received from her sister Winter to good use, and in the end she'd been victorious. The proof of her victory lay adorned on her face as the scar that ran across her eye. While some would consider it abhorrent and consider her damaged goods at this point, Weiss herself wore it with pride. The greatest victories anyone could achieve often came at a cost. A single scar was a pittance compared to the ability to choose the path she walked.

Despite her answer, Phoenix appeared to be unhappy with her reply. His face wore a tired smile tinged with disappointment, almost as if he had hoped she would choose the latter option rather than the former. This both irritated and confused the young woman. What merit was there in choosing to remain falsely dead? Sure, the options to use that as a chance to grow stronger and learn more about the people who had created or rather experimented on the Grimm was advantageous but the bonds she'd created with her team, not to mention the close relationship she held with her sister Winter, were far too valuable to her to simply pretend she was dead while they mourned her passing. There were just some things you didn't do no matter how lucrative the prize.

"You disagree?' she asked, crossing her arms across her chest in defiance.

"Only because I know more than you do," he replied. "Tell me, when making a business deal with a rival company, do you simply take the options that are presented to you?"

"Of course not. Only fools and amateurs would overlook the option to negotiate a better deal for themselves."

"Indeed. So why then did you think the two options I described to you were limited by the information that was given? Why did you not think to look further, to truly see which one would benefit you the most in the long run?"

Phoenix's question caught her off guard and stung her pride a little. She cursed internally, reprimanding herself for having been so naïve to make such a rookie mistake. Her sister Winter would no doubt have chided her for reacting without first thinking her actions through. Regardless, the options presented to her hadn't appeared to harbor anymore information. They had seemed fairly straight forward and it was that thought alone that made her realize her mistake. Just because the options were fairly straight forward didn't mean they weren't hiding something more that could pop up later.

"How does my option not benefit me? How does it work out for the hunter in this hypothetical situation?"

"Taking the former option, while allowing them to return to their friends and family, comes at the cost of their carrier." Weiss' defiant gaze quickly turned to shock at this revelation. Phoenix, or rather Jaune, wasn't surprised by this. In fact, he had expected it and continued his explanation. "The wound they suffered at the hands of the Grimm was severe. While medical advances allow them to repair much of the damage caused to their body, the time it would take to fully recuperate would place them severally behind their piers in terms of development and training. At best they could hope for a life in the military but even that would be a lukewarm victory when compared to what they had to give up."

"How? What did they lose that cost them their entire carrier as a hunter?"

"An appendage," he replied.

Weiss' gaze shifted from Phoenix's eyes down to his missing arm. The empty sleeve hung loosely at his side, a constant reminder of what had been lost, taken from him during his time as a hunter. When her gaze meet his once more he seemed to be searching hers for something, some recognition that he expected to find at hearing this revelation. She knew what he was looking for, of course. This hypothetical story of his was far too detailed to be something he'd just created on the spot. It was easier to assume it was an allegory for his own experience though why he didn't come out and say it both puzzled and irritated her. Weiss didn't like being toyed with and his constant beating around the bush with the subject was nothing less than toying with her but for what purpose?

"Even so, despite losing an appendage the hunter could have gained a replacement through a cybernetic limb," she pointed out.

"For those who can afford them, yes, but even the most basic of replacements don't come cheap," he countered. "Not everyone was born with the wealth and resources your family has, Miss Schnee. For many hunters, especially those born on the fringes of civilization, becoming a hunter is an all or nothing deal. They put everything they have into the hope that their lives, their skills and abilities, will be enough to allow them to achieve their dream and lead a better life. Losing a limb, not to mention the fairly hefty medical bills for everything else, would be enough to put their carrier on hold indefinitely."

"I see," she said and grimaced. That much she had to admit was true. Having grown up in a well to do family, money had never been an issue for her. As such she seldom thought of things as being beyond her reach, realizing that not everyone had the same resources she had.

"So the hunter takes the other option, remaining officially _dead_ to his friends and family while forging ahead with his life, growing stronger while investigating those responsible for his current condition," Weiss reiterated. "How does this work better for them, then? What advantages does he gain from supporting a lie that would have his loved ones grieve for him while he conducts an investigation into an unknown enemy?" she questioned.

"I never said the hunter was a _he_ ," Phoenix pointed out.

"You never said it wasn't, either," Weiss shot back, fixing him with a stern glare that showed she knew exactly who they were talking about. Phoenix didn't react, his face remaining neutral during their exchange, however his eyes betrayed him as they showed some sign of recognition, almost as if he had been waiting for her to connect the dots.

"True enough and to answer your question it gains them greater flexibility in their pursuit."

"How so?"

"While he may be officially dead, the new identity he took on himself could still be used to gain his adversary's attention when used in the right manner. Even his friends and former teammate's assistance can be enlisted without their knowledge. With all of his enemy's eyes on himself they can work behind the scenes, revealing clues he might have missed and gaining him opportunities that might have otherwise been denied to him previously. In other words, what had once been a one on one confrontation has now become a battle fought on two fronts. The hunter even maintains the ability to keep his friends safe, using his resources to warn them should they draw too close to their target or if they're in danger of being discovered. All in all, if he plays it smart he can maintain complete control over the battlefield and take down his enemies without fear of losing his friends and close allies."

"I see. I'll admit that is a smart way of going about things," Weiss commented, earning a pleased smile from Phoenix. "There's one thing I still don't understand."

"What's that?"

"Why all the secrecy? Why maintain the guise of dead man if you're going to enlist the help of your friends again anyway? Wouldn't it be easier to simply reveal yourself to your friends and family, alleviating them of so much pain?"

Phoenix's smile wilted at this. It was obvious he had considered this, and possibly even had to deal with something similar. While she wanted to question him about it further, from their conversation she was uncertain she'd receive a straight answer. He had no obligation to answer her truthfully and there was no telling just how deep into his personal life it went.

"Sometimes the easy path isn't always the best path," he replied. "Even if he were to have revealed himself to his friends and family, whether it was right after the incident or sometime later, there would always be the possibility that they might be discovered and used as collateral against him. Better that they believe him to be dead than to be made into unwitting targets. Even the act of enlisting their help as a third party is not without its risks, though it would at least enable them to choose whether or not they wish to be involved.

Not only that but there's the obvious matter of his deception. Revealing himself to them at such a late stage could cause more harm than good. The unfortunate thing about living a lie is knowing that to tear it down would be to expose himself the consequences of his actions, none of which guarantee his friends and family will welcome him back with open arms."

"That is true," Weiss admitted with a tired sigh.

"Well, I think I'll be going now. I enjoyed our little chat but I don't think I should waste anymore of your time," he said as he rose from his seat. "I wish you the best in your future endeavors, Weiss, should we not see each other again."

"What makes you say that?" she asked.

Rather than answer, Phoenix fixed her with a look that showed he didn't simply think but rather expected her to terminate their acquaintanceship here and now. He'd revealed a great deal about himself without ever stating it was in fact himself and, knowing her personality, he didn't believe she'd want to continue to be associated with him after this.

"One last question," she said, grabbing his attention, "is your name really Phoenix or is it simply a cover?"

He smiled wryly, a gesture that was more than enough to answer her question. "Farewell, Miss Schnee," he said and exited the coffee shop.

* * *

**Vale – Jaune's Apartment – Jaune**

When Jaune returned to his apartment he wasn't at all surprised to find Lazarus was still there, sitting in the same seat he'd been occupying when he'd stormed out. While Jaune was still irritated with him in regards to their earlier conversation, he'd calmed down some thanks to the chat he'd had with Weiss. Whether or not he'd be seeing her again in the future was up in the air at this point, and knowing her it would be of no surprise to him if she avoided that particular coffee shop altogether, but for now he had bigger things to occupy his mind.

Jaune slumped back down in his seat, his eyes meeting the calm, analytical gaze of his benefactor. Neither man spoke, though anyone watching would have been able to sense the overall tension that rose up between them. After what felt like an eternity, Jaune reluctantly broke the silence.

"I've given the advice you gave me some consideration," he said.

"And?" Lazarus asked expectantly.

"I agree that it would be detrimental to my friends and family's overall safety if I were to reveal myself to them at this point in time."

"Very good, I'm glad we can agree on that at least," Lazarus commented.

"That said," Jaune interrupted, fixing him with a stern glance, "it's doubtful they'll maintain any sort of distance from the events that have transpired. They've already intervened on two separate occasions and knowing that I believe it's safe to say our enemies have taken notice of them."

"What are you suggesting then?" Lazarus asked, already seeing the course his young friend's mind was taking.

"We use that to our advantage. Rather than attempt to dissuade them from interfering we assist them. We could effectively make this a war on two fronts with their actions drawing more attention, allowing me to conduct more covert operations."

"I see," Lazarus said, leaning back in his chair as he gave the suggestion careful thought. "I must admit, you've thought this through. Very well, I'll start making changes to some of our current operations and future endeavors."

"Thank you. I'll find a way to get into contact with my old team, see if they'll agree to this joint operation."

"There's one thing I'm curious about," Lazarus interjected, "why the sudden change of heart? Barely an hour ago you were hell bent on revealing yourself to your team, of tearing down the façade you've constructed and used to protect them, yet now you're willing to keep things as they are and even involve them more heavily in our mission. What happened in that short amount of time to change your perspective?"

"I had a chat with an old friend that brought things into perspective for me," he said.

"An old friend or a former teammate?" Lazarus asked with a wry smile.

"A friend to be sure," Jaune clarified, remembering all his failed attempts to woe Weiss in the past and his decision to maintain something akin to a friendship with her now. "Though, if I'm being honest, I not sure I'll be able to call them that now, either."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just that our conversation revolved around some subjects that they didn't necessarily agree with, not that I blame them, and I find it doubtful we'll be seeing much of one another in the near future."

"I take it you told them a little more about yourself than you should have?" Lazarus asked, connecting the dots.

"I presented a hypothetical situation," Jaune countered.

"The subject of which was?"

"M-myself," he admitted, shifting his gaze as Lazarus smirked in his victory.

"I can see why you would think that," he said with a chuckle. "Well, now that we're in agreement with how you'll be conducting things from now on, I have a new mission for you."

As he spoke he handed Jaune a vanilla envelop. Jaune promptly popped it open, removing several papers from inside and giving them a careful glance. The first was a bio on a young faunus named Adam Taurus, a lieutenant in the White Fang and the commander of the Vale division. Clipped to the paper was a small photograph depicting his upper body with his face mostly concealed by a Grimm mask. Though it was common knowledge that most White Fang operatives wore Grimm masks as a means of intimidation, it wasn't uncommon for some of their leaders to wear more distinct or unique masks of their own to further distinguish themselves. Adam's, on the other hand, was quite different in that it covered less of his face though the manner in which he'd decorated the surface ensured his presence would protrude from the rest.

"I'm sure you've heard of Adam Taurus," Lazarus said, waiting for Jaune to give a nod in acknowledgment before continuing. "He's one of the youngest leaders currently in the White Fang as well as one of the most skilled. Rumor has it his recent actions, mainly those exhibited at the docks, went against the orders of his superiors."

"I thought you didn't work in rumors?" Jaune commented, taking a look at the next page.

"I typically don't, though that isn't to say they don't prove to be fruitful every now and then."

The next page Jaune turned to was a bio on Roman Torchwick. This man he needed no introduction to know. Even the attached picture looked as smug as the man himself, almost as if he had posed for it while it was being taken. Much of the information provided were on things he already knew. His early life, a short lived carrier as a huntsman that quickly descended into violence and petty theft, his eventual rise to prominence as one of Vale's most notable Crime Bosses. While Jaune knew the inclusion of such documents was simply Lazarus' way of going through the motions, he still felt it was unnecessary given just how unprofessional their relationship was to one another.

"Recent events in Vale, both with the increase of White Fang activity as well as robberies committed by Roman Torchwick, has caused some to speculate that the two might be involved somehow. The incident at the docks proved this theory correct, though just how deep their relationship goes is something of a mystery. While on the surface it may seem like an unlikely partnership made simply to facilitate some need by one or both parties, those of us with access to evidence taken from the scene known better. They're being manipulated by a third party; someone we haven't been able to identify yet. What's more, they're planning something big."

Jaune was only half listening as he flipped to the next page and promptly found his attention glued to it. The document was a myriad of black marker lines, with only a few words splashed throughout that were actually legible. Behind it was a schematic with a large _Classified_ stamped in red over it for a machine, a new Atlas weapon called "The Paladin." Behind this was a picture that had been taken on sight, probably at the factory where it had been manufactured, where a soldier could be seen standing next to the behemoth to act as a scale for just how big it was.

"A few weeks ago an Atlas transport was intercepted by an unknown adversary. The contents of the transport are highly classified, though I have been able to learn that said contents were reported as having been _misplaced_ ," he said, putting a sarcastic tone on the last word.

"Right, because gods forbid Atlas actually admit they'd been hoodwinked into having one of their experimental mechs stolen. I take it you want me to retrieve it from whomever stole the monstrosity."

"Retrieve being the optimum word, yes, however, we will be just as satisfied to know the machine has been destroyed entirely if retrieval is not possible."

"In other words if I can't have it no one can," Jaune concluded.

"Exactly," Lazarus agreed.

"I'm guessing we already know who took it but do we know where it's currently being held?"

"No, however, we do have a time line for when it will show up."

"What do you mean?" Jaune asked, giving Lazarus a quizzical look.

"Recently, one of my informants in the White Fang intercepted some information regarding a recruitment rally they were going to be holding in a few days. This usually wouldn't have garnered much attention were it not for a special guest appearance they would be having."

"The guest in question being whom?"

"Torchwick, obviously, and he's apparently going to be showing up bearing gifts."

Hearing this revelation, Jaune leaned back in his seat to consider the situation as a whole. An experimental and highly dangerous piece of Atlas technology stolen right out from under their noses and making its way into Torchwick's hands was about to become the center piece of a new recruitment rally. Knowing that they had their hands on something so dangerous was a bit unnerving, especially considering who's hands they were. However, they knew when and where it would be appearing and, if they planned their ambush around it, they could very well make off with the suit before they had a chance to utilize it. The only problem was they needed a distraction, something to draw their enemy's attention while they reclaimed the stolen tech. Also, on the chance they failed to reacquire the mech suit, they'd need a capable team to help destroy it completely.

"This mission, if I take it I'd like the option to use a team of my own choosing to help me in completing it," he said.

"I take it you have one in mind?" Lazarus asked.

"Yes, they're local and above all they're people I can trust without question."

"Then I'll leave it to you. Just make sure to notify us once you've regained the suit," he chided.

"Or have destroyed it, I know," Jaune concluded with a tired sigh. "Though, considering who I have in mind, it's very likely you'll know if we've succeeded or failed before I get the chance to call you."

"I'm not sure I should consider that a good thing or a bad thing," Lazarus said with a skeptical gaze.

"A little of both, to be sure," Jaune answered with an uneasy smile.

* * *

**Beacon – Team RWBY dorm – Weiss**

The moment Weiss entered their dorm she was suddenly reminded of why she had felt the sudden urge to flee to the café. Shortly after the incident at the docks Blake's desire to prove that the White Fang were innocent had morphed into an unhealthy obsession of attempting to predict their next move and cut them off at the pass, if only to try and stop them from making things worse for them or to discern why they had suddenly formed a partnership with Roman Torchwick. While Weiss and her team had been content to stand ideally by while she conducted her research, the moments she had previously spent had usually encompassed her free time, rarely if ever disturbing the flow of her daily life.

However, with the start of the new semester things began to become worse. Her obsession took on a new life and the signs of how it was affecting Blake were painfully obvious. Ruby, in an attempt to be the best team leader she could be, had started implementing several team building exercises as a way of showing Blake she could trust and rely on them. While Weiss had known this wouldn't work, she'd gone along with it anyway and immediately regretted it. Thankfully it had been the intervention on the part of her partner, Yang, which had finally curbed it. A short confrontation in an empty classroom followed by the promise of her whole team to help her had, at the very least, gained them a promise from the young faunus that she would take things easy from now on and put more faith and trust in them.

For their part the team had decided they'd help Blake discover the White Fang's latest target and move to intercept them before they struck. Somehow, while they'd tried to keep their team meeting private, they'd been interrupted by Sun Wukong and his partner Neptune Vasilias, a young man with bright blue hair whom Weiss had found an immediate attraction to but, at the moment, felt it best to put those feelings aside. Her recent meeting with Phoenix had stirred up some long forgotten memories, ones she'd much rather leave buried, and had left her wondering about the nature of their relationship, not to mention the man in question.

"So, does everyone know what their part is?" Blake asked, confirming one final time with her team.

"Yea, yea, don't worry Blake, we've got this," Yang replied casually.

"Any idea of where we should start?" Sun asked.

"I have a few ideas of places we could check out. It'll take a couple days to look into all of them."

"Anyway we could narrow it down?" Yang asked.

Before Blake could answer a loud ringing emanated throughout the room. Everyone glanced at one another, each person taking out their scrolls to check to see if it was theirs. Surprisingly it was Blake's scroll that was making the noise, a notice flashing on the screen that the caller in question was from an unknown number. She glanced at her teammates, each one giving her their own unique response in return. Most likely it was a telemarketer, or possibly a wrong number, in which case the interruption would be an irritable but forgivable offense. She swiped the accept call line, waiting patiently for the other person's image to come on the other end, but instead was meet with a "no camera" icon showing that the other person had disabled the feature on their scroll. Curious, and a little hesitant, she decided to make the first move.

"Hello?"

" _Hello Miss Belladonna_ ," a strange and hauntingly familiar voice replied.

Blake drew in a sharp breath, her grip on her scroll tightening as her face turned pale. That voice, she knew that voice. Images of the event at the docks flashed through her mind, among them a tall and frightening figure with a metal arm fighting like a demon against Roman Torchwick, the bonfire created from the exploding dust canisters only adding the horrific scene that replayed in her mind.

"Who is this?" she said angrily and immediately regretted it.

" _You know exactly who this is, Blake. After what I did for you at the docks you would think you'd show a little more gratitude in your voice_ ," Archangel replied. " _Are you alone?"_

Blake looked around the room, the faces of her teammates carved in stone. "Yes," she replied.

The laughter, or at least that's what she assumed it was considering how unnatural it sounded, that came from the other end was enough to tell her he knew she was lying and was very amused by her attempt to hoodwink him.

"I don't know how you got this number and I don't care. Whatever you're offering, forget it. I want nothing to do with you," she said, her fingering hovering over the end call button.

" _Hang up and you forfeit a chance to stop the White Fang from committing a horrific act_ ," Archangel quickly interjected.

"What do you know about the White Fang?" she asked, intrigued despite her finger still hovering precariously over the end call button.

" _I know that you used to be one of them_ ," he replied, causing Blake's eyes to widen at the revelation. " _I also know you're looking for redemption as well as theirs. I can help with the first but their redemption is something they'll have to accomplish on their own and, judging from the intel I just gained, they're not looking to achieve that anytime soon._ "

"What exactly is it you're proposing?" she asked.

" _A partnership_ ," he replied. " _I need your help in acquiring or destroying a certain item that the White Fang recently came into possession_."

"As exciting as that may sound I still don't see why you'd need my help. You've shown you're more than capable of taking on the White Fang and coming out unscathed rather well. I see no reason why your offer for a partnership would at all interest me."

" _You should be interested, especially when the item was previously under the watchful care of the Atlas Military_." Audible gasps erupted from the girls as Blake and Weiss exchanged horrified looks. " _I see I've gained your attention. Excellent. Our operation begins in a few days. I'll be sending you details shortly._ "

"Hold on a minute, I never said I agreed to work with you."

" _You never needed to. I'm in possession of information regarding the White Fang's next operation and am providing you with details on their next location as well as what to expect. Fact of the matter is, Blake, you agreed to work with me the moment you refused to hang up after I said hello._ "

Blake scowled, irritated by the man's twisted logic. What made it worse was that he was completely right. He'd been decisive in their conversation, revealing just enough information to give her reason to keep him on the line. It was like walking down a dark hallway with him activating one overhead light at a time and revealing a treat that enticed her to continue moving forward despite the ever increasing feeling of foreboding.

"Hang on a minute I still have questions you need to answer like just what my role in this partnership is going to be," she snapped, attempting to wrest control of the situation.

" _Your role is simple enough. I merely need you to cause a distraction while I reacquire the item they stole._ "

"You make it sound so easy. What's to stop the White Fang from trying to kill us. Who's to say they won't end up swarming us while you make off with the Atlas Weapon?" Blake replied angrily.

Again more distorted and, if Blake was being honest with herself, disturbing laughter. Apparently Archangel found something increasingly amusing about their conversation and it was only serving to make her that much more irritated.

" _You needn't worry about that. You can trust me when I say the moment I have the item in my possession all eyes will be glued to me. You actually have the easier and safer role in this game of ours."_

"What makes you so confidant in saying that?"

" _Simple, it's a weapon designed by Atlas themselves. Compared to it, the value of your capture will significantly plummet once they realize their prize has been stolen from them in broad daylight. I'll make a scene big enough to ensure you escape without any problems_." There was a sizable pause before he fished with, " _do we have a deal?"_

Blake looked carefully around the room, gaging the expressions of everyone present. While no one wanted or even thought this partnership was a good idea, the stakes involved were too high to ignore. Reluctantly, everyone nodded in agreement.

"Fine," Blake said, her voice almost inaudible it was so quiet.

" _Excellent. Sending you the details now._ " A moment later a notification popped up showing she'd received a message with an attachment from an unknown source. " _See you soon, partner._ "

The call cut out, a dial tone emanating from the scroll the moment he hung up. Blake's hands vibrated angrily before her legs gave out from the stress. Yang was there in an instant, catching her before she hit the floor and setting her on the bed. While she attempted to comfort her partner, no one was quite sure what to say regarding their situation. Things had taken a drastic turn and, while it had given them exactly what they'd been hoping to find, it somehow felted cheated, liked they'd been forced to make a deal with the devil.

"Did we actually get a call from Archangel himself?" Sun asked, the first to break the silence.

"Yea Sun, we did," Yang confirmed.

"Great, just making sure that was real and not just a dream we all happened to be sharing," he said, scratching the back of his head. "So why does it feel like we make just made a huge mistake?"

"Because we just did," Blake replied. "That man is a vigilante who shows criminals little mercy. There's no doubt in my mind he views us as nothing more than useful pawns."

"Maybe, but I have to disagree with you on that one." Sun flinched when Blake shot him an irritated glare as he quickly added, "I don't know how much you remember about our fight with Roman Torchwick at the docks but I distinctly recall him saving your life when he tried to finish you off. It maybe brash of me to say this but I think we owe him."

"We don't owe him anything," Blake snapped. "The fact that he intervened shows he was nearby watching everything that happened. I'm willing to bet he was watching as the fight quickly spun out of our control before choosing the right moment to step in."

Sun wilted, conceding to her point. "So, what now? Do we just go along with his plan?"

"No, we don't. Yang, I think you were saying you know someone in downtown Vale who's good at getting hard to find information," Blake said.

"I'll pay him a visit, see what he knows about Archangel," Yang replied, catching onto what Blake was asking.

"I'll check the SDC records for dust shipments and cross reference them with attacks made by the White Fang. No doubt we should see where he intervened and possibly discern his motives or at least predict his next move," Weiss added.

"Good. We don't have much time. From what he sent me, the recruitment rally is in a few days. We'll need to work fast if we're to corner him."

Team RWBY all nodded in agreement. Things were about to get very interesting very fast. Funny, the brochure had never mentioned anything like this happening while they attended Beacon.

* * *

**Downtown Vale – The Docks – Jaune**

Jaune crushed the burner scroll in his hand, his metal arm making short work of the cheap plastic and fiberglass. Satisfied that it was beyond repair he chucked out into the ocean as far as he could, expecting the salt water to finish off any of the electronics that might have survived and yield some small clues. A few seconds later a muffled splash could be heard, confirmation that the scroll was now completely destroyed.

Jaune let out a tired sigh as he reflected on the conversation he'd just had with Blake. All things considered it could have gone better. Acting under his persona of Archangel had been something he'd planned to do but Blake's overall reaction to him had been less than stellar. He'd hoped his intervention at the docks might have given her reason enough to trust him but obviously that wasn't the case. Then again, the fact that he was a well known vigilante was something many found questionable so it should have been expected.

Regardless, he was confident in his plan. He knew Blake wouldn't act alone and that was something he was counting on. Having her act as a decoy at the rally was simply a means to an end. With her providing a decent enough distraction he could slip into the Atlas Paladin and take control, causing a far greater scene that would no doubt give Blake and her team ample cover to make their escape. Knowing how capable they all were it was almost guaranteed that they would make it out unscathed. In fact, with how much training they had as huntresses, compared to the mediocre training provided by the White Fang, it was almost unthinkable that any of them would be harmed. They had aura after all which was something few, if any, of the White Fang members had. Perhaps some of the stronger members, usually the higher ups like Adam, but it was doubtful that anyone like that would be present.

There was only one problem with his plan; team RWBY themselves. In the short time he'd known the girls he'd come to acknowledge the fact that they were one of the most dysfunctional and unpredictable teams at Beacon. That said it was obvious they all cared for one another but to trust them to stick to the plan he'd set in place was like asking a Grimm not to tear you to shreds. Somehow, it might have been easier if he just went in alone.

"To whatever higher power exists out there," he said, looking up towards Remnant's shattered moon, "please just let the damage be to a minimum."

* * *

**Been a while since I posted anything. To be honest, the reason this update took so long was due to the fact that I kept going over certain parts, writing it, deleting it, and rewriting it until I was satisfied that I'd gotten the point across in a manner that felt right and explained things the way I'd wanted to.**

**Most of this chapter encompasses a message I'd received from one of my followers regarding Jaune's reasons for taking Lazarus up on his offer. While I'd hoped I had explained it well enough in the opening chapter, I can see how it might be a little odd to say the least. Hopefully this chapter make things a bit clearer though I do plan on having some interactions between Jaune and his former teammates that will allow him to shed more light on her personal reasons for doing so and put things in a clearer light.**

**I'll be working on World War Remnant after this. One of the things I'm going to be doing from now on, and should have done from the beginning, is create a story plan for myself. Basically, it'll be a list of the main points I want to hit in the next chapter just so I don't forget or get off track somewhere down the line.**


	6. Revelation

**Vale – Junior's – Junior**

Things were quiet at the Club. Normally this wouldn't be an issue. It was still late morning, early afternoon, a time when most people were at work. However, it was a weekend which meant that those same people would be looking to alleviate themselves of the stress they'd been building up all week long. However, with the increased activity of the White Fang, not to mention a certain incident involving a blond brawler that had shut his club down while repairs were being made, most people were hesitant to step anywhere near his place.

To make matters worse his man power was less than half of what it usually was. Following an unexpected visit by Torchwick to cash in a favor, a vast majority of the men he'd loaned to him for some "off the books" operations had gone south. What had him jumping at every little noise and shadow at night wasn't the fact that they'd been taken out by a single girl, a huntress in training, who just happened to appear on the news in regards to an incident that had taken place down at the docks. It wasn't even the fact that the hospital bills his men had racked up were earning him some angry calls from his insurance company demanding to know the exact details of the "unfortunate accidents" that had led to their hospitalization. No, in truth it was the fact that, following Torchwick's visit to his club, he was visited by an unexpected though equally dangerous individual; Archangel.

If Junior was going to be honest with himself, he considered Archangel to be on par with Torchwick, not only in terms of ability and skill but also in terms of intimidation. Where Torchwick was boisterous, Archangel was quiet and soft-spoken. While Torchwick liked to be in the lime light, Archangel preferred the shadows, leaving him with more questions than answers. More than anything, however, was the fact that Torchwick was a man who made threats to intimidate while Archangel preferred actions. It couldn't have been clearer to him of just how dangerous Archangel could be nor how much damage he might cause him if he so much as suspected he'd been betrayed by Junior, if not for the fact that he'd turned on the news one morning only to have a small heart attack when the top story included footage of both Torchwick and Archangel duking it out at the docks, the two men matching one another blow for blow.

In truth, if Junior was forced to choose sides he'd side with Archangel, hands down. The man intimidated, scarred him shitless with his unsettling eyes and that horrible voice that he spoke with, but he was at least up front with his intentions. Not to mention he paid well and ensured when he borrowed the twins that they returned to him unharmed. That fact alone had gained him some respect in Junior's books, a fact he would not soon forget. Today, however, Junior was more concerned with how empty his club was. If this was simply a precursor to how the rest of the week was going to turn out he may as well close up and count the earnings. There was really no need to waste electricity lighting up a dancefloor that didn't even have people on it. He was about to flag the DJ to shut things down when one of his men ran inside and slammed the large double doors shut behind him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he barked, taking his irritation on the new target.

"Junior, it's her, she's back!" he yelled, his voice filled with panic.

"Her?" Junior asked, taking a moment to consider just who he was talking about when a sudden realization had his heart beating as fast as the music. "Lock the doors! Alert security! Don't let her-"

His words were drowned out by the explosion of a shotgun followed by the double doors flying off their hinges. Junior cursed under his breath. Those doors were no joke. After the last incident he'd replaced them with some reinforced ones that hadn't come cheap. He should have done the same for the hinges and frame. The doors flew through the air, the few men standing guard having been thrown out of harm's way, thank the gods, until they slammed with a loud thud onto the dance floor, smashing it to pieces. What few patrons he had fled for their lives as a familiar and frankly unwelcome buxom blonde came strolling in through the front.

"Hey Junior," she said cheerfully, "I believe you still owe me a drink."

* * *

**Vale – CCT – Weiss**

"Why did we get stuck with the boring assignment?" Ruby complained as she sauntered alongside her partner.

"It's not boring, it's a vital part of our mission," Weiss chided, rolling her eyes at her leader's childish complaint. "By looking into recent dust theft activity conducted on the SDC we can start to create a timeline that will tell us when exactly the White Fang started working with Torchwick and possibly tell us when they'll strike again."

"In English please," Ruby replied.

"Uge, we're using past thefts to figure when they're going to try and rob the SDC again," Weiss snapped.

"Well why didn't you say so?"

"I did say it you just weren't listening."

"Yes I was, you were just explaining it in a way that was so confusing," Ruby complained.

"You can be such a child sometimes," Weiss said.

"You're one to talk," Ruby mumbled under her breath.

"What did you say?"

"Uh, look we're here," Ruby said, quickly diverting her partner's attention from her. "Wow, it's so tall."

"Of course it is, it's a tower after all," Weiss pointed out.

"Yea, but you never really think about that until you're standing right next to it," Ruby mussed, looking up at the large white tower before stumbling back as she lost balance. The building was so immense it was difficult for her to take it in from close up. At best she would have to view it from a distance but that would somehow take away from the overall feel.

Drawing her attention back to the ground level Ruby noticed the large amount of people coming and going from the tower itself. While technology had advanced to the point where scrolls allowed them to stay in contact with family and friends all over the continent, the CCT provided a service for those who were unable to reach loved ones through their mobile devices or existed in some of the more rural areas of the world. Even their assignment required that they use the CCT as a means of communication. Not only was it a public service, and thus was less likely to be traced, but it also enabled Weiss to contact the SDC directly without going through some more unwanted channels.

As Ruby watched the people coming and going from the tower she thought she recognized someone for a moment. Short red hair, almost orange in appearance like Nora's, curled at the bottom went bobbing by in the crowd. The girl's gray with green accented skirt was enough to confirm to her that it was indeed Penny, her strange but nonetheless precious friend Ruby had made not too long ago. She'd been meaning to look for her and find out what happened to her after the events at the docks but she had never gotten the girl's scroll number not to mention she knew next to nothing about the girl herself.

"Ruby, stop stalling and let's go," her partner instructed.

"Uh, sorry Weiss, I just remembered there's something I need to take care of. I'll meet up with you later. Give me a call when you're done."

Weiss watched as her partner raced off into the crowd, saying nothing as she sped off but all the while maintaining a firm frown on her face. It was just as well. While they'd been partnered together out of necessity (and the fact that Ruby had claimed dibs on her before she could pair up with Neptune) she nonetheless preferred to handle this matter on her own. The SDC was her family's business, after all, and odds were she'd encounter resistance from some of her family, particularly her father. Better that she do this on her own without Ruby goofing off in the background.

* * *

Penny was troubled. Following the incident at the docks, and a lengthy lecture from General Ironwood as a result, she'd been wrestling with the decision to reveal something vitally important but something that could very well harm her new friend, Ruby.

Penny was by no means a normal girl. If she were completely honest, the only thing real about her was the soul that inhabited her robotic body, or so her father told her. She was the first of her kind, a technological marvel unlike any other. She was a robot who was capable of generating aura and, as a result, was considered to have a soul of her own which enabled her to create said aura. This, of course, had caused a great divide to form between her father and General Ironwood. Her father was a scientist employed by the Atlas military in the office of Robotics and Technology. His whole job revolved around taking the existing robots and making them better. Many of the advancements seen in their current models, including the Paladins, were a result of her father's research and hard work.

Penny, on the other hand, had been a "pet project" of his. He'd had a daughter once. He'd loved her with all his heart. Whenever she asked about her, though, her father would always look sad and quickly change the subject. She'd always oblige. She never liked seeing her father so sad, especially because of something she'd said. Her only other glimpse into her life had been a picture she'd found stowed away in his desk. It was strange, like looking into a mirror only the image that starred back did move or blink or smile like she did. It remained still, a perfect copy of her own features.

The moment she was "born" was the moment things between her father and Ironwood began to take a downward spiral. Late at night, when they thought she was powered down and recharging her batteries, she would instead be listening to them arguing the same thing they'd argued about in the past. She never quite understood what it was they were fighting about. Ironwood would always say something along the lines of her being a robot and Atlas property and her father would argue back that she had a soul and was his daughter, his child. She couldn't find a reason to fault either of them. Both men were right. All of her parts and circuitry had been provided by the Atlas military and, as an extension that did make her their property as well. On the other hand her father had been the one to give her life. He was her creator and that made Penny his daughter, his child.

Humans could be so confusing sometimes. She wondered if all humans argued like this. She'd never meet any other humans aside from her father, General Ironwood, and the scientists who worked alongside them. While she enjoyed their company, they weren't very good for conversation. At most they wanted to see what Penny could do, what she was capable of, and had very little time to interact with her and talk to her about the outside world. She wanted more than anything to go out into the world, to make friends and experience life just like other humans. She knew her father wanted the same for her but that General Ironwood was loath to let her out of his sight and the protection Atlas could offer. It was only after she had gone through some of her history lessons that a spark, an idea, formed in her mind. She assumed it was an idea and not some programing her father had implanted. She knew because it made her happy.

"I want to be a huntress," she'd announced proudly to the two men one night.

Her sudden announcement had left both men speechless, especially considering they were well into their usual argument and oblivious to the world around them. Neither of them spoke for a moment, exchanging looks with one another in an effort to ascertain that they had indeed heard her correctly. It was only after they asked her why that her plan began to take shape. She'd come across the word in her reading and had done as much research as she could on the subject. The thought of learning how to fight the Grimm at one of the schools and in teams of four had excited her. She wanted more than anything to know what it was like to be among other humans and this was the best way.

While Ironwood had shown some resistance to the idea at first, her father quickly came to her aid. He'd figured out her plan. He was smart like that. He presented some scenarios to Ironwood, ones that would enable Penny to be a part of a huntsman team while still being guarded by Atlas and its military. Slowly, Ironwood began to warm up to the idea. Before long both men had come to an agreement. Penny would be part of a huntsman team, one approved of by Ironwood himself, and would be enrolled into the Atlas Academy. She was to keep her identity as a robot secret and act as much like a real girl as possible. It was imperative that her secret not get out. Penny had eagerly agreed and soon after began her new life making new friends and cataloging new experiences.

One of her most recent friends was Ruby Rose. She liked Ruby. She'd spent the entire day with her and had so much fun, at least until Roman Torchwick attempted to hurt her. She didn't like that. She had also been intrigued when the vigilante Archangel showed up and began fighting Torchwick. While General Ironwood always spoke of the man with obvious hostility, citing him as a criminal, Penny thought differently. For one thing he'd saved the life of Blake Belladonna, the faunus girl and one of the members of Ruby's team. Add to that the fact that he'd specifically targeted and fought off Torchwick and Penny found herself thinking that Archangel could also be a potential friend. She already knew his identity. While the man kept his face hidden and used a voice modulator to distort his real voice (a strange human custom perhaps?) she'd found he'd left some blood on the ground and had used it to discover his identity. It was there were the problem arose.

She'd checked his identity, going through every possible outlet to ensure she was correct. Every attempt led to the same conclusion; Archangel was dead. At least the man, Jaune Arc, whom her sensors said the blood sample belonged to, was dead. She had considered the possibility that he'd been present at the fight and had been hurt, resulting in her having analyzed his blood instead of Archangel's. However, after going through every public record she could find, including some of Beacon's student files, she found that the boy had indeed died during a mission a year or so back.

Normally Penny would have brought this up with General Ironwood. Such an odd situation was something he was surely capable of explaining to her. However, her search had also revealed that Jaune had been the leader of team JNPR and that they had been close friends of her friend Ruby prior to the boy's death. At this point she had found herself conflicted. She had a responsibility to tell General Ironwood what she had found out yet at the same time she thought it would be best to tell Ruby instead. All morning long she'd debated with herself on what to do but even now she was unsure of how to handle the situation, much less break the news to her. Obviously it would be joyous for her to know that her old friend was actually alive but there was something else she was nervous about.

"Penny!"

Her audio receptors picked up the girl's voice immediately. Despite the noise of the crowd and how turbulent the day was she could still pick Ruby's voice out clear as a bell. What's more, her optics were so advance that she could pick her out of the crowd, the girl already closing the gap between them in an incredible fashion even without using her semblance. It was this point Penney felt a new emotion, one she was unfamiliar with but for some reason found taking over completely and demanding her obedience. Panic.

Without hesitating for a moment Penny turned and ran. She wasn't sure where to, only that she had to get away. She couldn't let Ruby catch up to her. There was too much to handle, too much that could go wrong. She was the first real friend she'd ever made and she didn't want her actions, let alone those of General Ironwood's, to destroy that. So she ran, hoping to somehow lose her pursuer. Ironic how that would be nearly impossible, especially when Ruby got serious.

* * *

**Vale – Junior's**

"I keep telling you, Blonde, I don't know anything about him," Junior argued, his calm expression betrayed by his shaking hands that tried and failed miserably to clean the glass in he was holding.

"And I keep telling you I don't buy that," Yang argued back. "Look, everyone knows that you're the best person to get information from. If there's anyone in Vale who knows anything about the crime families, notorious thieves, and vigilantes that prowl the night it's you."

Junior gave Yang a long, hard look. Internally he was debating with himself on how he should proceed. The last time this blond had come to his establishment looking for information it had gone poorly for him. Though his insurance had covered the damages, of which there was a list as long as this chick's hair, his rates had skyrocketed as a result. Thankfully she didn't seemed too interested in destroying his club again, something he considered a blessing for the moment. However, that could change at the drop of a hat. Yang Xio Long was an unpredictable powder keg, one he wanted to keep as docile as possible.

There was just one problem that could presently throw a wrench into that hope. She wanted information on Archangel, a man with whom he'd previously done business with, something he was hesitant to reveal to her. Granted his meeting with the vigilante had come about through a third party source but he wasn't eager to reveal that either. It would be just his luck to drop Phoenix's name only to find Archangel's metal hand crushing his windpipe by the time the sun went down. At present he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. To remain silent or reveal what he knew, both options could have dire consequences for him.

"Look, I'll make you a deal," Yang suggested, "You tell me what you know and I promise to not set foot in your club for the remainder of the school year. I'll be going home for summer break anyway so you'll have an extended vacation from me for quite some time."

"You're serious?" Junior asked, genuinely surprised. Having her avoid his club might help him to rebuild his reputation and possibly bring back the flow of customers. Heck, he might even be able to negotiate a better rate from his insurance company with her gone.

"Cross my heart. I'll avoid this place like the plague," she vowed.

Junior took a moment to consider his options. Yang's offer was good, ideal even. That said, she just wanted information on Archangel. She wanted to know what he "knew" meaning whatever he choose to reveal to her. He could water it down, let her know just enough to satisfy her while staying loyal to his patron. That said, it would probably be a wise idea to contact him after words. Better to be the one he hears it from rather than a third party.

"Alright, but you didn't hear any of this from me," he emphasized. Yang nodded in agreement, a curious smile on her face as she waited with baited breath. "A few weeks ago a man came in. Told me he had a friend who would be coming by later that night looking for information. I didn't think much of it until I meet his _friend_." He shivered, recalling the scene like it was straight out of a horror movie.

"It was Archangel?" Yang asked. Junior nodded in affirmation, the girl's playful expression turning serious.

"Yea, surprised the hell out of me. I thought he'd come to rough me up or shake me down for information. Turns out he wanted to make a deal and even hire my girls," he said, motioning to the twins. The two girls stood a distance away. Neptune having tried and failed to flirt with them. Their eyes were secured firmly on Yang, the memory of the beat down she'd given them still fresh in their minds. "He apparently wanted to know about some White Fang activity so I pointed him towards an off the books shipment of dust being made at the docks."

"Wasn't that one the news, the incident at the docks that Sun and your friend Blake got mixed up in?" Neptune asked.

"That's the one," Junior confirmed. "Nearly had a heart attack after I flipped on the news and saw that being played. The only good thing to come out of it was the possibility that both Torchwick and Archangel would have ended one another at the scene but sadly that didn't happen."

"So, you're the one he came to for information," Yang concluded, earning a shrug from Junior to say that he didn't care what she thought of that. "One last question, how did he find out about you? No offense, but you don't exactly advertise yourself very well."

"And with good reason," Junior commented. "He contacted me through a third party, a friend of his who came by earlier that morning."

"What was his friend's name?" she asked.

"Don't recall," Junior lied, hoping she wouldn't see through it, "and I don't care to see him again either. The less I have to deal with that vigilante the better."

"It was a guy, huh?" Yang mussed, her eyes lighting up with intrigue. "What did he look like?"

"Tall, short brown hair, blue eyes," Junior rattled off.

"That doesn't give me a whole lot to go off of. There's more than a handful of guys back at beacon who could match that description."

"Forgive me, I have an easier time remembering people who walk in and start trashing my club," Junior snarled.

"Did he have any defining features?" Neptune asked, causing both of them to glance his way. "You know, a scar or a tattoo?"

"Yea, anything that might stand out?" Yang added, a little grateful for Neptune's input aside from attempting to flirt with anything that had two legs.

"Well, he was missing an arm," Junior said nonchalantly.

Yang immediately perked up at this comment, her face dead serious as she quietly asked, "which one?"

"His right one, I believe."

Yang stood up slowly, her expression a myriad of emotions. Junior quietly cursed, realizing that, in his attempts to keep his identity vague, he had inadvertently given away too much information. It wasn't long before Yang's face settled on a serious, purposeful expression before she headed for the door, dragging Neptune along with her.

"Thanks for the help, Junior. Consider us even," she hollered back as she made a quick exit.

"Yea, but at what cost?" he mumbled to himself.

The moment she was gone me motioned to his men standing at the door. They nodded back, quickly shutting the doors and locking them while he left the bar and slipped into a back room. Out of sight and earshot of the loud dancefloor music, Junior pulled out his scroll and cycled through his numbers until he came across the one he was looking for. He dialed the number, listening as it rung twice before a man's voice answered the other end.

" _Junior, this is an unexpected pleasure."_

"For you perhaps but I'm calling for business purposes."

" _Oh? Was there something you needed done that my friend might prove useful in accomplishing? Keep in mind he doesn't dirty his hands with the criminal underworld, not unless he's smashing skulls."_

"It's nothing like that. Actually, I thought I should inform you of some recent activity here at the Club. Some people came round asking about your friend."

" _Understandable. I honestly expected people to start asking question sooner and the fact that they came to you is far from surprising. Were they Torchwick's men?"_

"No, actually, they were huntsmen in training."

" _From Beacon?"_

"One of them, a girl named Yang Xio Long. The bitch destroyed my Club a year back or so. The guy she came with, some blue haired punk named Neptune, I'm not sure he's from Beacon. He could be from one of the other academies. More and more of them have been showing up with the festival on the horizon."

" _Indeed. So Yang Xio Long came to you. How very interesting. What did she ask you about?"_

"She wanted to know if I knew anything about your _friend_ , possibly if we'd done business together. I think she recognized my girls from the docks."

" _And what did you tell her?"_

"The truth, or at least as much as I was willing to divulge," he quickly added. "She also asked how I meet him. I said through a friend of his but that I'd forgotten the name."

" _I take it she didn't settle for that excuse,_ " he commented.

"No, she wanted a description. Thankfully you're appearance is fairly generic so I could give away some of your more obvious features without narrowing it down to you."

" _I'll take that as a compliment_."

"Yea, well, they didn't settle for it. They wanted more, something specific."

" _Such as?"_

"Such as a scar or tattoo or," Junior took a breath at this point, feeling his pulse rise in anticipation of what he was about to say, "Or a missing arm."

The line was silent. Junior felt a drop of sweat slid down his face, his heart beating like a drum against his chest. While he didn't know this man well enough to gauge how he would take the news he did know Torchwick and he was a man who didn't react too kindly to people giving away more than was necessary. By that he meant he had a pintsized terror with a parasol visit you and leave an impression you didn't soon forget.

" _I see,"_ the man finally said, breaking the silence, " _things are moving much quicker than anticipated."_

"You expected this?" Junior asked, flinching a little when he realized he'd spoken his mind.

" _Indeed. My friend isn't an idiot. He expected those girls to start asking question after his intervention at the docks but for them to move so quickly."_ He was silent again though this time Junior wasn't so frightened by it. He sounded calm, pleased almost. That had to be a good sign, right? " _Junior."_

"Y-yes," he stammered, caught off guard by the man's sudden use of his name.

" _Well done. My friend may have had some misgivings about you but this call has proved your worth. I'm very pleased that you would bring this information to our attention as will he."_

"I, uh, t-thank you?"

" _You are most welcome. However, I don't think a simple thank you will suffice. No, we will have to do better. Consider this our way of saying we owe you a favor. Should anyone one accost you in the future, say like Torchwick, send us a message or give us a call and we'll be sure to pay them back in full."_

"That's very generous of you," Junior replied, his relief evident in his voice.

" _Indeed. We feel it is best to reward those who show such loyalty. It promotes further actions in the future. I'll be sure to pass the news along to my friend so he knows what to expect."_

"What about Yang Xio Long?"

" _Don't worry about her. Even if she does suspect me of working with Archangel, she has little to go off of than the information given to her by a disreputable barkeep_ ," he replied. " _No offense._ "

"None taken."

" _Very good. Well, if there's nothing else I think we'll end our call here_."

Junior said nothing to make him think otherwise and simply nodded, not that the man could see him. Their entire conversation had been audio only, a precaution by both parties to keep their identities safe should the call be monitored. It ended a few seconds later, leaving Junior feeling more satisfied than he'd thought he would. Things were looking up for him. More than that, he'd gained himself a favor from Archangel. That had to count for something. Walking a little taller he returned to the bar, motioning for his men to open the doors before picking up a glass to clean. Perhaps today would be a good day after all.

* * *

**Vale – Ruby**

Today was most certainly not a good day. While things had seemed pleasant at first they'd quickly spiraled out of control. First she got stuck with her Partner Weiss performing a boring assignment. She liked her partner, even respected and admired her, but making a call to a company halfway across Remnant just to collect some information on dust shipments was not her idea of exciting. Add to that the fact that her new friend Penny, who disappeared not long after their fight with Torchwick and the White Fang at the docks, was running from her like she was a complete stranger. What was up with that? Had she offended her in some way and now she didn't want to speak with her? The least she could do was let her know what she'd done wrong so she could apologize and fix things but no she just kept on running. That was fine, Ruby thought to herself, she could run just as fast.

There was just one small problem. Ruby's skills in running came in the form of her semblance. Give her a straight shot and plenty of room and she could clear a distance, taking our enemies and Grimm along the way like it was nothing. Instead, she was chasing her friend through streets and back allies, both of which offered obstacles in the form of pedestrians and trash cans. Not only that but Penny was moving through the streets like she'd lived here all her life. She was pretty sure this was Penny's first time in Vale. Maybe she just had a good sense of direction? That didn't really matter. What mattered was catching up to her so she could figure out why she was running from her in the first place.

"Did you see her?" she heard a male voice ask.

"I think she went this way," she heard someone reply.

Ruby turned around, seeing two Atlesian guards walking in her direction. With their faces hidden behind their visors and they're guns at the ready, the pair made for an intimidating sight. Had she been a civilian she might have felt a bit uneasy but Ruby was a huntress in training and a couple of men with guns weren't enough to put her off. However, she suddenly had an idea. With these two walking around it was almost a certainty that one of them had spotted Penny. Perhaps they'd seen her and could point her in the right direction. Hopeful, Ruby started walking towards them when a strong hand pulled her into a nearby alleyway and covered her mouth, preventing her from crying out.

"Did you see something?" One of the guards asked as they passed by.

"Probably just the wind. This area gets so much traffic I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a piece of garbage floating by," his companion answered.

"Yea, I guess you're right."

Ruby's captor, whomever they were, finally released their grip on the young girl. She gasped for air, coughing loudly as her lungs hungrily gulped up fresh oxygen. Frustrated, she immediately whipped out Crescent Rose, ready to teach the perpetrator a lesson, only to feel her emotions dissipate the moment she saw who it was.

"Penny, what are you doing?" she asked, exasperated.

"I'm sorry, friend Ruby, but I couldn't risk being seen."

"Seen by who?"

"Those guards."

"The Atlas guards? Why?"

"It's complicated. I think it's best if I leave before more show up."

"Penny, wait!" Ruby said, quickly grabbing onto her friend.

The sudden action should have been enough to stop the girl in her tracks but somehow Ruby found Penny was much stronger than she first thought. Regardless, Penny reluctantly allowed her friend to stop her. The look on the young girl's face was enough to tell her that she was afraid but of what she wasn't quite certain.

"Penny, please, I'm your friend. I want to help you but you have to let me. Whatever's going on you can trust me to listen and hear you out."

"Do you promise?" Penny asked with a hopeful gaze.

"Cross my heart," Ruby said, miming the action over her chest, "now what's going on? What happened to you at the docks?"

"It's a bit of a long story," Penny admitted.

"I've got time."

Despite the young girl's warning, Penn's story wasn't so much long as it was heavy. She informed Ruby of her parentage, her father who created her but feared for her safety. With the incident at the docks her ability to roam as she pleased had been restricted by General Ironwood for fear of what might be revealed, especially where Ruby's team was involved. The girl then showed Ruby her hands, which had become damaged somewhere during their chase, and Ruby was shocked to see metal plating hidden beneath the skin or what counted as skin.

"I'm not a real girl, Ruby. I'm a robot. I'm an artificial life form capable of generating aura. I'm no different from the robots that General Ironwood employees in his military."

"You're wrong," Ruby said, taking hold of her friends hands, "your human, just like me."

"But," Penny began.

"Sure you may not have organs like me or have been born in the same way but you're far from being a mindless machine. You care about people. You cared about my team. A robot would have simply followed orders. You choose to help us save Blake. You put your life on the line for us and that makes you more than just a machine. As far as I'm concerned, you and I are not so different."

"Even though I'm made of metal and wires?"

"Nope. Lots of people have artificial limbs these days. Heck, even General Ironwood has more metal on his body than actual flesh. That doesn't make them any less human and the same applies to you. What matters is what you choose to do and who you choose to be."

"Thank you, Ruby Rose. I'm starting to find I'm really glad you were the first friend I made since coming to Vale."

"So am I," Ruby agreed, "now, was there anything else I should know about?"

"Now that you mention it, yes," she said, to Ruby's obvious surprise. "I actually found something out about Archangel."

"You did?" Ruby asked, surprised by the revelation.

"Yes, though, to be honest, what I found doesn't make sense."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, at the docks I managed to collect a DNA sample from him. When I ran it through my database I found that the man who calls himself Archangel should be dead."

"That is strange. How can a dead person be doing all this? Are you sure you collected his DNA?"

"Oh yes, I am quite certain. Had it been anyone else I would have known. Archangel's physical attributes match those of the person who is believed to be dead."

"Who is he then?" Ruby asked.

"There she is!"

Ruby's attention shifted from Penny to the two Atlesian guards she'd avoided bumping into just moments before. Why they were after her she couldn't say but her initial reaction was to turn and run with Penny in tow. Before she had a chance to react, however, Penny had already taken ahold of Ruby, lifting her above her head before moving towards a nearby dumpster. If Ruby had any doubts to Penny's claims of being a robot, they were quickly put to rest as the girl's inhuman strength enabled to her to carry Ruby with relative ease despite her protests and attempts to squirm from her grasp.

"Penny, what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, Ruby. It's for your own good. I can't allow you to get involved."

Before she could ask what she meant, Penny dropped into the dumpster and slammed the lid shut. Ruby just barely managed to crack the lid open, gulping down heaps of fresh air while the stench from inside the container threatened to overpower her senses. Between gasps for air she was able to catch glimpses of the conversation happening between the guards and Penny. After everything Penny had told her it made sense that they were searching for her and, while they had noticed Ruby earlier, Penny's assurances that she had been alone seemed to be enough to convince them otherwise. Obviously the pair didn't care much about investigating a girl who may or may not exist.

It wasn't long before the pair began to escort Penny away. The young girl took a quick moment to wave goodbye to her before all of three of them disappeared around a corner. Finally, alone, Ruby sprang from the dumpster, breathing heavily as she attempted to expel the scent of rotting garbage and rusty metal from her nostrils. Alone those smells would have been enough to make her gage but the mixture she had been forced to endure was enough to cause her body to threaten her with expelling the entirety of her breakfast from that morning, adding to the horrid smell, the longer she refused to escape from her confines.

Able to focus on something else now, she considered the last bit of the conversation she and Penny had before they were interrupted. The fact that she had discovered something on Archangel was monumental news. What she found so perplexing was the fact that his true identity was that of a man now considered dead. Ruby wondered who it could be and what their reasons were for keeping their identity secret. Whoever they were no doubt they were trying to protect people close to them. The heroes in the comics she read always wore masks or disguises as a means of protecting their loved ones so it made sense that he would do the same. She didn't ponder on this for long, however, as her scroll buzzed in her skirt pocket, drawing her attention. She pulled it out, seeing that it was a group call being sent out to the entire team by Blake.

"Blake, what's up?" she asked.

"Ruby, Yang, Weiss, Torchwick has a Paladin! I don't know how he got it but he's currently chasing us through downtown Vale. I don't know how long we can outrun him but we could use some backup."

The entire conversation was a mixture of heavy breathing, Blake giving instructions, and the sound of explosions in the background. Ruby didn't need to be told twice what was happening and quickly checked to make sure she had Crescent Rose secured before using her semblance to speed off to her teammates aid. One thing was for sure, being part of team RWBY meant there was never a dull moment.

* * *

**Downtown Vale – White Fang Recruitment Rally – Blake and Sun, moments earlier**

"This is the place," Blake said.

Blake ran her fingers along the three slits made into the concrete wall. While to the untrained eye such a mark would simply be dismissed as corrosion or an accident caused by a worker's careless actions, Blake knew they were much subtler in their purpose. The White Fang flag, apart from having the roaring maw of a wild cat adorning it, sported three distinct slashes on the background. These marks were meant to represent their willingness and desire to take justice into their own hands, by force if necessary. As time progressed and the White Fang became increasingly violent it became necessary to leave subtle codes such as this one to mark as meeting places or safe houses. Running her fingers across the claw marks, Blake felt a cold shiver run through her. It was ironic that the organization she had desired to leave behind completely would inevitably find a way to worm its way back into her life.

"Blake, you alright?" Sun asked, the look of concern he gave her touching though unnecessary.

"Yea, I'm fine. Here, put this on," she said, handing him a mask.

"Interesting fashion choice," Sun commented as he placed the mask over his face.

"It was something one of our leaders started when the White Fang began its transition. He felt that, if humanity saw us as nothing more than monsters, we should adopt their appearance to further intimidate our victims."

"That's a _Grimm_ outlook," Sun replied with a cheeky grin.

"Uge, Gods Sun, please don't do that. I have to tolerate Yang's puns and that's simply because she's my partner. I don't need you adding to the irritation."

"Right, sorry, game face," he said, wiping away his grin and adopting a more serious expression. "Well, it might be difficult to see with the mask, so just imagine I'm- "

Sun cut out when Blake shifted her posture. Though he couldn't see the annoyed look she was sending him beneath her mask, her posture and overall presence was enough to tell Sun that she was not amused.

"After you?" he said, quickly shifting attention back to the task at hand.

The two huntsmen walked into the warehouse that acted as a meeting place for the White Fang recruitment rally. The building itself was situated in downtown Vale, the area itself well known itself for the unabated crime and gang activity that plagued the area to the point that the police avoided coming down for fear of their own lives. While the building itself was fairly large Blake was unsurprised to find its interior filled to overflowing with faunus from all walks of life. It was easy to pick out the new recruits from the actual members as those who were currently part of the White Fang were dressed in their iconic white and black coats with their hoods pulled up over their heads and masks concealing their faces. The new recruits wore masks as well, something they were given as a welcome gift at the door, but remained dressed in their street cloths as they clambered towards the stage to wait for the groups representative to show.

With one eye on the stage, Blake began to scan the crowd for any sign of Archangel. Considering he was the one who had informed them of this meeting it made sense that he himself would be present. She knew he would be well hidden, his metal arm being a dead giveaway for any faunus who had faced him at the docks. Unfortunately, the crowd itself was too thick for her to make out any distinctions apart from the occasional faunus features that adorned the heads of her fellows. Instead, she shifted her gaze to the rafters were several White Fang members patrolled the walkways, armed and alert. Though she couldn't be certain, Blake was willing to dismiss the possibility that he might have taken one of their spots, using their own uniform to hide his own features. It made sense. The unfortunate thing about their distinct uniform was how easy it was for anyone, human or otherwise, to claim they were a faunus without actually being one. It made her wonder why the authorities never thought to do the same to some of the local cells.

Once or twice Blake thought she saw a glint of metal and quickly shifted her gaze towards its owner. She was always disappointed, however, when she noticed it was nothing more than the overhead lights bouncing off their guns, belts, or other concealed weapons. Try as she might she couldn't focus on anything else that might give him away. The only other defining feature he had were his eyes and those were easily concealed beneath the mask. She sighed, giving into the realization that she would be unable to pick him out until he chose to reveal himself. Archangel had been smart to include them in this mission. With so many people crowded together it would be a simple matter for the man to hide amongst them. Still, Blake wondered if she could truly trust him. Sure, he'd saved them at the docks but something about the man felt off. She would feel much better after she confronted him and found out where his loyalties truly lay.

* * *

Jaune couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Sure, his face and arm were fairly concealed beneath the mask and his hoodie but what was to stop one of the White Fang members from deciding he looked out of place and start demanding he prove himself to be faunus. His only conciliation came when he noticed Blake enter the warehouse with Sun. He'd been watching the door and, despite her mask, he noticed her almost immediately thanks to her ears. He didn't know why she kept them hidden all the time. Sure she had her reasons but still, for all her bluster and pride of being a faunus she sure put a great deal of effort into concealing her heritage. Perhaps one day he would have a chance to ask. For now, however, he would focus on the task at hand and ignore the fact that the rest of her team weren't present as requested, despite his instructions.

Jaune had come here with a purpose and a plan. The information Lazarus had given him pointed to the White Fang revealing their new toy tonight as a mechanical poster boy for their campaign. With that in mind it didn't take a genius to realize that the White Fang flag hanging over the stage was strangely large enough to conceal such a weapon. Knowing that, Jaune had positioned himself at a spot which would allow him easy access to the stairs, giving him time to take off the mask and slip on his mouth cover while ascending to a height that would enable him to leap onto the mechanical monstrosity and hijack it. With any luck he'd be smashing through the wall and well on his way to home base before the White Fang had any idea what happened. The thought of how they would react to such a fiasco would have brought a smile to his face but he repressed it. He needed to maintain his cover and a smile, no matter how small, might make one of the guards suspicious of him.

Coincidentally, the urge to smile quickly dissipated when the White Fang lieutenant on stage made the introduction of their "business partner." The reports had mentioned Torchwick's involvement, a fact he himself could confirm thanks in part to their duel at the docks. However, he hadn't expected the man to show up personally. Granted, the man was very charismatic and would have made a hell of a salesman but his chosen profession left something to be desired. Jaune instinctively crouched down, making himself a smaller target. He didn't know if Roman had recognized him but he figured better safe than sorry.

As the man's speech came to a close, along with some crack about exterminators and rodents that would have made even Yang cringe, the man snapped his fingers and on cue the flag fluttered to the bottom of the stage, revealing what it had been hiding. Jaune wasn't at all surprised but he emulated the sounds of awe coming from the crowd. Taking a quick look around her noticed that everyone's attention, including the guards, was on the stage and the Paladin. Seizing the opportunity, Jaune slipped around some crates and towards the stairs. Concealed inside the stair way he quickly slipped off the White Fang mask before pulling his face mask up. He tore the sleeves off the hoodie as well, giving himself greater freedom of movement, as he ascended to the top.

As soon as he reached the overhead walkway he took a quick look around. Thankfully everyone's attention was still on the Paladin but the new recruits were being ushered forward to begin their initiation. Jaune mumbled a curse when he noticed that neither Blake nor Sun had moved from their original spot, the pair standing out like a sore thumb to even Torchwick whose eyes were locked onto them. Seriously? Hadn't he instructed them to create a diversion and run? It didn't have to be anything major. Hell, if they took out the lights that would be enough to buy him some time to race down the walkway and leap onto the machine.

As if she had read his mind, Blake leveled her weapon and fired off a shot at the warehouse's breaker. Immediately the building was thrown into complete darkness and several cries went out from the gun shot as well as the temporary lose of sight. While Jaune knew the faunus were still able to see in the dark what they didn't know was that the special contacts he wore did very much the same. Apart from concealing his true eye color they allowed a modest amount of sight in low level light. It was especially easy for him to see where he was going thanks in part to the fact that the stage was situated in front of the warehouse windows.

Without a moment's hesitation Jaune launched himself down the walkway. The few White Fang operatives manning it too slow to react as he slipped by each and sent them to the ground below. Thankfully the drop wasn't enough to kill or even seriously injure the men and one of them actually smashed into a pile of crates instead, breaking his fall as well as the wooden boxes. The moment he was close to the stage Jaune leapt from the balcony and onto the Paladin. He slammed into the metal giant, his body making an audible clanging sound as he hit its steal hide. Thankfully everyone was too panicked to take notice and he took a moment to regain his footing before heading for the cockpit.

He didn't make it far, however, as the sound of smashing glass caught his attention, the forms of both Blake and Sun just barely visible from his position. Jaune felt his stomach plummet, his instincts telling him something terrible was about to happen. They were right, of course, as the metal giant began moving of its own accord. It was one of the few times he found himself grateful for having a metal arm as his fingers dug into the machine itself, allowing him to hang on while it swiveled around and smashing through the concrete wall. Obviously someone else had taken the ensuing chaos as an opportunity to hijack the machine and he needed only one guess to say who it was.

"I swear to the gods, Blake, you're more trouble than your worth," he grumbled as he bounced against the moving Paladin. "When this is over I'm going to take the favor you owe me from saving you a second time out of your hide."

* * *

"I must admit, as much as I hate those sleazy corporate big cats in Atlas, they sure do know how to make a quality machine," Roman remarked to himself.

Roman honestly hadn't expected the night to go in such a skewed direction. For the most part everything had gone as planned. The rally went off without a hitch, the new recruits were introduced to the latest in Atlas military technology, and from where he was standing he might actually have ended the evening with a call to Cinder that didn't include reports of huntsmen from Beacon or a certain vigilante crashing the party. It seemed he had spoken too soon as, once the new recruits began funneling to the front to get registered, he noticed something odd.

Roman didn't have much of an opinion when it came to faunus. He wasn't a racist by any means. As far as he was concerned, faunus were no different than humans. They could be lied to, used, abused, cheated, and manipulated in so many useful ways that made his life of crime that much easier to handle. In other words, just like the rest of humanity, he considered them useful tools when the situation called for it and cannon fodder when things started to go south. It was therefore a surprise to the master thief when he noticed two faunus in particular who quite literally stood out from the crowd.

He didn't know which one caught his eye first. Perhaps it was the young lady with distinct cat ears atop her head and a glare he could feel burning a hole into his skull even from beneath her mask. Or maybe it was her friend, the love-struck fool who preferred to leave his shirt unbuttoned as a way of showing off abs so well toned you could use them as a washboard in a river. Either way, it didn't take Roman very long to recall them from his botched robbery at the docks and, if he remembered correctly, trouble wouldn't be too far behind them in either the form of a girl in a red hood or a vigilante with a distinct metal arm. It was then that he made the wise decision to bolt for the Atlesian Paladin the moment he had a chance. He wasn't taking any risks this time around.

As the machine in question bounded down the road, demolishing cars and other vehicles that got in its way, Roman took in the myriad of toys the Atlas engineers had crammed into the cockpit. There was, of course, the plethora of weapons at his disposal. Everything from the classic machine guns to missiles and landmines right down to a distinct black button with a white skull and crossbones printed on top that he was just itching to press. Aside from that, though, they'd also seen fit to add in a few commodities. His seat was a plush leather with shock absorbers for maximum comfort. He had a microwave and coffee maker at his disposal with a fully stocked mini-fridge should he get a little hungry during the pursuit. Hell, he was pretty sure his chair even came with seat warmers and a massage feature.

"The only thing missing from this is- "he stopped, his attention drawn to a small compartment hidden in the back. Curious, he opened it up to see a large plastic bowl with a roll of toilet paper hanging off the side and a small leaver attached to the back. Roman gave it a quick push only to hear a distinct flushing sound emanate from the bowl.

"Nope, I was wrong, those bastards thought of everything," he said with a smirk.

* * *

Damn those Atlas engineers! Jaune had to be honest with himself, while he had considered the Paladin to be an incredible work of machinery that was no doubt more advanced than anything else on Remnant, he hadn't expected it to be this difficult to penetrate the outer hull of the bipedal monstrosity. Then again perhaps he should have come up with something more complex other than _I'll just use my blade to cut through to the wiring and shut the thing down, no big deal_. Times like these it would have been handy to have some sort of cutting tools on hand like a buzz saw or a blowtorch. Unfortunately, both of those things would have proven useless to him at the moment. With how much the Paladin was bouncing around as it chased Blake and Sun down the highway while being pelted with suppressive fire it was a wonder he hadn't been bucked off three blocks ago.

To add insult to injury he was having a difficult time focusing on finding a weakness on the machine while also suppressing his motion sickness. That was something he never quite got the handle of during his time training under Lazarus. Self defense, infiltration, computer hacking, politics and diplomacy, as well as a myriad of other subjects the man crammed into his head and yet somehow he hadn't found time to help him learn to fully suppress or overcome his motion sickness. With each new buck the machine gave him he felt his stomach flip flop and its contents threaten to evacuate in a rather swift fashion. Should the worst happen, though, and he find himself spewing chunks of his half-digested dinner all along the highway he may just get lucky and cover the Paladins cockpit, blinding Torchwick and thwarting his efforts to attack his friends.

"Come on Jaune, focus," he chided to himself. "This thing has to have a weakness. A control panel, a system override, an overlooked bend in the metal, something!"

Steadying himself as best he could, Jaune looked over the back of the Paladin, searching franticly for anything that might stand out. His eyes were eventually drawn to what appeared to be a panel on the back of the machine. Throwing caution to the wind he gripped tightly onto the Paladin with his metal arm while he attempted to force open the panel with his free hand. Focusing his aura around his fingers to help him leverage the panel, it brock lose after much effort and sailed off into the distance. Jaune almost cried out in triumph when he saw what lay underneath. An outer ejection handle, in all its glory, sat waiting for him to manipulate. Jaune had seen something like this in the file Lazarus had given him. Apart from the standard ejection seat installed in the machine, the technicians had seen fit to install one on the outside as well. This was to ensure that, should something prevent the pilot from activating their own switch, he could be ejected manually from outside.

Jaune's fingers clasped around the handle, twisting it as it primed, ready to throw Torchwick out and into the open. He was distracted, only for a moment, by an odd sound coming from overhead. That moment was enough to cause his heart to plummet into his stomach as he glanced up only to see Yang Xio Long riding her motorcycle Bumblebee come crashing down from an overpass and straight into the Paladin. The sudden change in momentum caused him to lose his grip as he, Torchwick, and the Paladin were all thrown off the highway and into an open plaza below.

Jaune's aura flared as he hit the ground hard, each bounce off the concrete jarring his vision as he struggled to regain control over his sense of balance. With his metal arm no longer attached to the Paladin he dug it into the ground, tearing up a line of concrete as he brought himself to a halt just in time to see all the members of team RWBY squaring up to face off against Torchwick and the Paladin.

"Why is the fact that I knew they wouldn't listen to me somehow still aggravating?" he mumbled to himself.

Team RWBY barely had time to catch their breath before Torchwick in his new toy began his assault. Sending out a flurry of missiles, the girls quickly dodged out of the way as a myriad of explosions erupted around them. They would have to be fast and efficient if they were to overcome their opponent.

"What's the plan, Ruby?" he friend Blake asked.

"Freezer burn," she replied, loud enough for Weiss and Yang to hear.

Without wasting a single moment, the heiress froze a large portion of the ground before Yang leapt into the air and came crashing down, firing off her gauntlets as she did. The effects were instantaneous as a thick fog billowed out, obscuring Torchwick's view of his small targets. The same could have been said for their team but, with how immense the Paladin was in size, it was easy to distinguish the large behemoth through the fog.

"What now?" Yang asked.

" _Go for it's sensors. It's blind without them and many of his weapons rely on them_ ," a voice replied.

"What? Archangel?" Yang yelped.

She didn't have much time to react as a lone figure dove past her, racing through the fog as he narrowed in on his target. Looking to her teammates she could see they had heard him as well and, despite finding his presence a bit unnerving, they nonetheless considered his contribution to their cause reason enough to ally themselves with him, if only for the time being. Sprinting after him the four girls zipped around the colossal machine. Despite the threat it posed, the Paladin was nonetheless slow to react and with carefully time precision each of the sensors were destroyed. This soon proved to be of little use to them, however, as a well timed explosion by the thief alleviated him of the fog, allowing Torchwick to attack them without hindrance.

"This is getting us nowhere," Weiss pointed out.

" _I have a plan,"_ Archangel said, taking a position alongside them.

"So do we," Yang shot back.

" _Please tell me it's something a bit cleverer than hitting it as hard as we can until it stops working,"_ he countered.

"Well, you you have anything better?" Yang asked with a growl.

" _Yes and it involves the ejection switch on his back,_ " he stated. " _Keep him distracted. I'll make my way around to his back and clamber up to the exposed panel before pulling the switch and forcing him from the Paladin."_

"So, what, we're just the bait?"

" _No, you're the bait and the net. Once Torchwick has been ejected I'll need you four to apprehend him. We'll need to work as a team to handle this. Think you can trust me long enough to take down Torchwick?_ "

Ruby didn't say anything but instead nodded. While she wasn't as against working alongside Archangel as the rest of her team, Ruby wasn't naïve enough to trust him completely. Penny's words about his potential origins being linked to a man who was presumed dead were still fresh in her mind and that simple unknown made her question just how much faith she should have in the man before her. What were his origins? Was he someone who could be trusted or would he turn out to be something far more sinister?

Ruby didn't have much time to think as Archangel sprinted ahead. Calling out "ladybug," she and Blake tore off after him. While Archangel had advised that they would be acting as the bait in this scenario, Torchwick seemed more disposed to attacking the vigilante than them. A heavy metal arm came crashing down, spraying up large bits of concrete in its wake. The attack had been meant to squash Archangel like a bug but the man had been too quick, leaping onto the metal arm and running across it before bounding over his back. Ruby and Blake followed up, drawing his attention as they began simultaneously attacking its legs. Torn between focusing on the potential threat of the vigilante and the two girls, Torchwick wisely choose the latter as he attempted and failed to hit either of them.

"I've had just about enough of this!" the thief said over the machine's loud speakers.

" _I couldn't agree more,_ " Archangel responded.

From her position behind the mech, Ruby could see Archangel dangling from the machine's back, pulling out a long switch before twisting it counterclockwise and slamming it home. This was followed up by the loud metallic sound of locks and clamps releasing before steam erupted all around the cockpit area. A few seconds later the hatch opened and Torchwick, still buckled into his seat, was violently propelled outwards from the machine. Without it's pilot the behemoth slumped forward, dead to all the world.

"Lousy kids. You'd think they'd have more respect for their betters," Torchwick mumbled as he brushed himself off and relit his cigar. It was as far as he got before he found the tip of Weiss' rapier tickling his throat while she shot him an icy glare.

"These kids just kicked your butt," Yang chided in triumph.

" _In a manner of speaking_ ," Archangel said, coming up to apprehend Torchwick.

"Hold on, where do you think you're taking him?" Weiss questioned, turning her rapier on him.

" _I have some friends who would like to speak to Roman in regards to his employers."_

"You honestly think I'm going to talk?" the thief asked snidely.

" _Honestly, when they're through with you, you'll be singing half as well as Miss Schnee,_ " Archangel countered, twisting the man's arm into his back as he forced him to his feet. " _You four should stay here with the mech. The authorities will be here soon and I need people I can trust to stay here with that thing._ "

"If you think we're just going to let you disappear with Torchwick, you've got another thing coming. We have some questions of our own not only for him but for you as well," Blake said, aiming her gun at the man's head.

"You kids obviously have a lot of trust issues to work out," Torchwick commented, shaking his head in disappointment. "Speaking of which, you're all awful trusting of me if you think the Paladin's down for the count."

"What do you mean? You're here in our custody. There's not much else that pile of scrap can do to us," Yang pointed out.

"You sure about that?" Roman asked.

A soft clicking sound was enough to tip Jaune off to what the man was talking about. " _Shit, the autopilot!"_ was all he managed to say before the Paladin powered up and began its assault once more.

"I'd love to stay and chat but I've got places to go. Neo!"

It was instinct alone that enabled Jaune to leap out of the way before a high healed kick tore into the concrete. Deploying his wrist blade and shield, Jaune glared back into the smirking face of Roman's right hand girl, Neo. If his encounter with her at the docks was anything to go by then he was in for a rough fight.

" _Team RWBY, stop the mech. Destroy it if you have to but make sure it can't be used by anyone else."_

"What about you?" Ruby asked.

" _I have my own opponents to deal with,"_ he replied.

He didn't wait for a reply and soon after knew he didn't need one. The sound of battle rang out as missiles and gun shots mixed with the grunts of female fighters told him that they had already begun their assault on the mechanical beast. Neo smirked, hardly considering Jaune a threat as he lunged forward. In truth, she wasn't his real target. The man he was after lay beyond her but he knew he'd have to somehow fight his way through this petite assassin to get to him.

Right from the start he realized he'd greatly underestimated Neo's abilities. Where many of the fighters he'd faced thus far preferred aggressive combat tactics or were virtually untrained, Neo was something else entirely. Less aggressive and more defensive, her attacks were nonetheless devastating as every attempt he made to assault her ended with the girl either dodging or deflecting his attack before countering with one of her own. He thanked his immense aura reserves and metal shield for protecting him against the worst of it. No doubt by morning he'd wake up covered in bruises but for now he needed to focus on his target.

"Your good kid, I'll give you that, but you're nothing compared to my boss," Torchwick mocked.

" _Perhaps not but I don't need to be on their level to beat you. I just need to be better than you to attain victory._ "

"A fair point but it won't mean anything unless you can defeat Neo. Regardless, our time here is up. Neo, if you would?"

Jaune didn't wait to see what tricks the girl had up her sleeve. He rushed forward, bringing his blade down on her head only for her and Torchwick to splinter into a thousand pieces along with the piercing sound of shattering glass. Off in the distance he could just make out a bullhead flying by with both thief and assassin waving to him as they passed. Jaune clenched his fists in rage. They had escaped. He had been so close and yet they had somehow escaped. Not long after a new sound, this one of a mixture of explosions and warped metal, told him that team RWBY had successfully destroyed the mech. Well, at least the mission was a success. Still, it didn't sit well with him that Torchwick had gotten away and with him any potential information that might have helped their cause.

"Way to go team RWBY," Ruby said triumphantly.

"Yea, we kick butt," Yang joined in.

" _Lodi fricken da,"_ he said sarcastically before moving to make his exit. He was stopped prematurely, however, by a wall of ice that had erupted in his path. He didn't need to guess to know who had created it and he turned around slowly to see three out of the four member of team RWBY glaring at him.

"Where do you think you're going?" Weiss sneered.

" _Home, obviously._ "

"Not until you answer our questions, _Archangel_."

" _Very well, I have a few questions of my own,_ " he said, letting out a tired sigh before taking a decisive step towards them, " _beginning with what the hell happened to following the plan?"_

"What?"

" _What do you mean what? I gave you four explicit instructions to act as decoys at the White Fang rally. Out of all of you I only saw you,"_ he said, pointing an accusatory finger at Blake, " _and that love sick monkey you almost got killed with your stunt at the pier!"_

Archangel's words had the desired affect as Blake's ears fell flat on her head and her gaze fell to the ground. Down one member he soon turned on the others, determined to shift the blame just enough to distract them while he made his escape.

" _Where were the rest of you?"_

"We were, well- "Ruby began, trying and failing to come up with a decent excuse.

"We were performing reconnaissance work," Weiss answered.

" _Reconnaissance?_ " he asked.

"Yes, you informed us that the Paladin had come from an SDC shipment. We were looking into similar occurrences to see if we could ascertain a pattern."

" _My apologies, Miss Schnee. It seems you've seen fit to impress me_ ," he said.

"Why thank you."

" _With how naïve you are of our present situation_ ," he concluded.

"Excuse me?"

" _Do you honestly think that you have the means to look up classified information such as shipment raids?_ "

"I am the Schnee family heiress," she replied proudly.

" _Which means nothing in the corporate world_ ," he pointed out. " _Your title is simply that, a title. It means little in terms of power or the ability to throw your weight around. Until you actually become an important figure in your family's company, you'll be denied access to any important information like that regardless of your family stature_."

Weiss growled but nonetheless kept her mouth shut. Archangel had a point. The shipment manifestoes she'd retrieved had given her little information to work on. At best she could determine the amount of dust being transported to the neighboring kingdoms but nothing concrete or useful for that matter.

" _And you,_ " he said, turning on Yang.

The buck some blond said nothing but instead shot him a cocky grin that dared him to say something that might just insult her pride.

" _You know what, on second thought I don't even want to know_ ," he said. " _The point is, tonight we got lucky. It was a miracle that none of you got seriously hurt fighting that machine or worse got someone killed. The Paladin's destroyed and out of Torchwick's hands. Mission accomplished. Now, go back to Beacon and stay clear of my business._ "

Without waiting for a reply Archangel vaulted up to a pillar, threw himself up towards the highway and disappeared from view. The girls watched him leave, each one a mixture of different emotions regarding the man in question.

"We'll, that went well," Yang said sarcastically.

* * *

"Well, that was a complete disaster," Weiss growled as she paced back and forth in their dorm room.

Shortly after their fight with Torchwick and Archangel's disappearance, the girls had retreated back to their dorm room as quickly as they could. While there was no doubt reports of what had happened would filter their way back to Beacon, they were confidant no one would know it had been them. They'd left well before the authorities or media could arrive on the scene and, unless someone had been recording the whole affair on their scroll, it was doubtful anyone would have been able to pin them to the scene.

"I don't know, I'd say things went pretty well," Ruby chanced.

"Oh, so the fact that both Archangel and Torchwick got away means little to you? Not to mention his assumption about the data I collected from the SDC being useless was correct."

In spite of his words, Weiss had seen fit to comb through every shred of the information she'd been sent. The state of her temper became more and more apparent as she read on, the information she'd collected being as useful to their cause as chocolate bullets. At best they could figure out when dust shipments might arrive next in Vale but aside from that they had little to go on in terms of figuring which ones' might would be targeted or what they might contain.

"Well, I at least managed to gather some useful information though I doubt you're going to like it," Yang said triumphantly.

"So long as it helps us get closer to Archangel I'll be content with whatever it is you managed to collect."

"You sure about that? Your temper has already been worn pretty thin as is."

"Yang, please, I'm a Schnee. Whatever it is you've collected, I promise I will stay composed."

"Alright," Yang said, crossing her arms beneath her chest as she took a relaxed pose before continuing. "I spoke with my contact downtown. Turns out Archangel paid him a visit, looking for information regarding Torchwick and the White Fang. My friend divulged all that he knew, mostly because he was too afraid of what might happen if he refused. What's more, Archangel relays information from him through a third party, someone we just might be familiar with."

"Who?" Blake asked.

"A tall man with blue eyes and short brown hair."

"That could be anyone," Weiss pointed out.

"He also mentioned that the man was missing his right arm."

The stunned looks on everyone's faces was enough to verify that they were on the same page. Weiss sank slowly into a nearby chair, her face switching between a myriad of emotions as she came to terms with what had been said. Blake was a bit more composed though it appeared she wasn't at all happy with the information. Ruby looked concerned, whether for her team or for the man in question was uncertain.

"Phoenix is working with Archangel," Blake finally said out loud.

"We don't know that for certain," Weiss interjected, quickly rising to the man's defense.

"It's all but confirmed. How many one armed men do you know in Vale personally?" Yang pointed out.

"We don't know that it's him. We don't have any proof aside from your _friend's_ word, whom I doubt is someone we can trust."

Yang couldn't argue with that one. Junior was many things but trustworthy was not something she'd rank high on that list.

"He was the one who pointed me towards the docks when I was searching for the White Fang," Blake pointed out. "It's too much of a coincidence that he would suggest I go somewhere that almost certainly ensured I would find what I was looking for while coincidentally being saved by Archangel."

"I don't doubt your logic but I'd rather hear it from Phoenix himself, if only to confirm our suspicions."

"Fine then, lets go pay him a visit tomorrow after lessons," Blake suggested.

"Agreed," Weiss replied.

"So Rubes, you find anything out while we were gone?" Yang asked, shifting the conversation her way.

"I might have," she said nervously.

"What do you mean might have?" Weiss asked, giving her a suspicious look.

"Do you all remember Penny?"

"How could we forget?" Yang said in a sarcastic tone.

"I saw her in Vale today."

Ruby spent the next few minutes regaling them with the events that had transpired between the two girls. She omitted the parts about discovering her origins as a robot, choosing instead to keep it secret so she could reveal that herself, but otherwise sticking to the story as well as she could remember. The fact that no one interrupted her nor seemed at all surprised by the crazy antics that befell her cemented the fact that such things were almost expected of Ruby at this point. It was her revelation regarding Archangel, however, that truly caught their attention and had them divided in responses to it.

"That's impossible," Weiss stated. "He can't actually be dead."

"He could be presumed dead and living under an alias," Blake pointed out.

"I'm aware of that. What I don't understand is why he would go through so much trouble to keep is identity secret."

"He could be trying to protect people close to him or seeking to prevent anyone from figuring out who he is. When I was part of the White Fang, we attacked many people not associated with the SDC simply for discriminating against the faunus. It's possible he's one of the victims of these attacks and is using the guise of a vigilante to keep his family and friends safe."

"I can respect that," Yang said, "but I still want to know who he is. I don't like being kept in the dark, especially when he's managed to interject himself into our lives twice and somehow got our scroll numbers."

"Ruby, when you were talking with Penny did you managed to get her scroll number?" Weiss asked.

"I wish I had. With how frantic things were I wasn't focused on that. I just wanted to make sure she was alright," Ruby said, cringing in frustration. "Uge, I wish she was here so I could ask her."

Almost immediately a loud knock sounded at their door. Everyone exchanged glances, wondering if they'd invited some of their other friends to their dorm. One by one they all shook their heads, confirming that their meeting had been completely secret aside from themselves. It might have been Sun and Neptune but they hadn't seen either of them since their fight with Torchwick and they doubted Sun would actually use the door as he'd had little trouble simply using the window instead.

The knock sounded again, just as loud and heavy as before. Ruby looked to her teammates, the silent exchange between them evident as each of them readied their weapons. Ruby nodded before slowly moving towards the door. With sweat rolling down her forehead, she took a calming breath as her hand gripped the doorknob while the other held Crescent Rose at the ready. In a fluid motion she wrenched open the door, jumping back in expectation of an assault.

"Hello friend Ruby, I'm glad to see you're alright," Penny said cheerfully.

"Penny!" Ruby cried in disbelief. "Get in here, quickly," she said, taking a quick look down the hallway to make sure they were alone before dragging the girl inside.

"Penny, what are you doing? I thought you'd been taken back home by those Atlas guards."

"I did but I managed to sneak out soon after. I have to return soon, though, otherwise they might notice my absence."

"Well, your timing couldn't have been more perfect," Weiss said, regaining her composure as she waltzed up to the girl. "Penny, it's come to our understanding that you might know something regarding Archangel"

"Yes, friend Weiss, I do indeed, though, to be honest, it still confounds me."

"We know. Ruby filled us in. Apparently Archangel is supposed to be dead."

"You are correct. The Vale records show he died a little over a year ago."

"A year? That's not very long," Yang pointed out.

"Yea, I'd already left the White Fang by then and joined Beacon. If the White Fang were involved it would have had to occur after my desertion."

"Penny, we need you to tell us who it is. It's important that we know so we can possibly help them," Ruby pleaded.

"Or prevent them from getting any more of their friends or family involved," Weiss added.

"But you're already involved," Penny said.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked, confused by the girl's comment.

"The records show that he was a former student here at Beacon. I simply assumed you knew him."

"He was a student?" Blake asked, exchanging a look with her partner Yang as her ears perked up.

"Penny, who is Archangel?' Ruby asked, the trepidation of knowing evident in her voice.

"His name is Jaune Arc. Do you know him?"

No one answered Penny's question. No one could even bring themselves to speak. Most of them looked to Weiss, expecting a negative reaction from the girl. To her credit she had kept her composure for the most part but it was slowly chipping away. Ruby quickly moved to her side, ready to act should she need it.

"It can't be," she whispered. "Jaune's dead, I watched him die."

"Penny, you're absolutely sure of this?" Ruby asked, taking on an uncharacteristically serious tone.

"Of course. I analyzed his blood sample in every way I could. There's no denying it to be true."

"Weiss, ae you alright?" she asked her partner.

"Yes, I'll be fine," she said, straightening herself. "Yang, you mentioned that Phoenix visited your friend downtown, correct."

"Yea, I did," she agreed, already catching on to what she was saying. "So, I guess we're paying him a visit tomorrow for sure."

"Yes, there are some questions he needs to answer and I won't leave until I get them."

* * *

**And the big revelation has finally occurred. Honestly, I had always planned for a moment when their team would figure out that Jaune was Archangel, I just didn't know how soon or late into the story I wanted to reveal it. Obviously this is going to cause some tension to arise between them and Archangel, especially when its revealed to him that they're aware of his true identity. The only question now is will they be able to keep it hidden from the rest of his team and if not who will they react?**

**Things will start to heat up in the coming chapters. I plan on introducing Merlot into the plot as an actual character and have his Grimm start interacting with the characters. Jaune will also start his journey into hunting the man down while also learning more about his past and ultimately discovering more secrets than he bargained for.**

**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I apologize for how long it took to update but I've been dealing with some long, stressful days at work which have taken up much of my free time. I at least wanted to get this to you all before the Thanksgiving Holiday break. I'll be working on some of my other stories and hope to have one of them updated before I leave for Christmas. Until then stay tuned and hope you enjoy.**


	7. Confrontation

**So obviously this isn't the "Shattered Minds and Mended Hearts" updated that I promised. In fact, this update is dropping not long after the previous chapter. The reason for that can be summed up with this brief exchange:**

**Brain:** Hey, you awake?

 **Me:** … I am now.

 **Brain:** I just had a great idea for the next "Archangel" chapter.

 **Me:** That's great but we have to work on my other stuff first.

 **Brain:** But it'll be really cool and your readers will love it.

 **Me:** I won't argue against but we have to have priorities (attempts to go back to sleep)

 **Brain:** But you don't even know what to write next for your other stuff.

 **Me:** Your point?

 **Brain:** If you write this first it might help you think of what to do for the others. Plus, I think your readers will love it. Call it a late Thanksgiving, early Christmas present.

 **Me:** … fuck, where's my laptop?

**So, yea, that's basically why I decided to go against my usual schedule and post this instead. Let me know your thoughts.**

* * *

**Vale – Beacon Academy – Ozpin**

It was early in the morning up at Beacon Academy though Ozpin had hardly noticed the transition from night to day. He'd been up all night, studying the footage he'd received from the local authorities who'd come from the crime scene where one of Atlas' newest mech suits, the Paladin, had just been salvaged. The recordings themselves had captured many notable figures, such as team RWBY to name a few, but of greater concern to the headmaster was in fact Archangel. Twice now he'd made an appearance apart from his more notable hit and run tactics against criminals in the past which had mostly revolved around him quickly dispatching them before leaving them for the authorities to pick up once they arrived at the scene, nary a witness to claim that the man had actually shown his face. Now, however, he could be seen in all his glory, fighting alongside his students as he exploited the Paladin's weaknesses and effectively turned the tide of battle. Truly he was a most intriguing fellow.

From what he'd seen in the footage there were three distinct factors that facilitated Archangel's interference in the public eye. The first was the rise in White Fang activity. The second was Roman Torchwick's involvement. Lastly, and undoubtedly the most troublesome factor, was the interference on the part of team RWBY. Normally he'd tack on the fact that he'd never before been subjected to such a troublesome team in his career but he need only reflect back on the days of team STRQ and he would immediately find parallels in terms of the trouble they'd caused as young teenagers. It seemed that same need to poke their nose into everyone's business was a family trait both Ruby and Yang shared.

Putting that aside for the moment, Ozpin considered just how quickly Archangel himself had appeared in repose to this particular set of circumstances. Not once but twice he'd placed himself in harm's way on their behalf and not simply through cloak and dagger tactics but by intentionally going toe to toe with one of the most cunning and ruthless criminals Vale had to offer. He honestly felt a great desire to shake the man's hand and thank him for looking after his students but he knew certain other people who would just as quickly slap a set of handcuffs on his wrists just as they would look at him. Regardless, Archangel was an enigma, a question he fervently wanted to be answered. While many believed him to be an avenging angel of sorts, Ozpin thought otherwise. The man's actions had started out as such but looking back they'd all been activities that targeted the White Fang or Torchwick exclusively. He was after something, that much was certain, and these two groups were the leads he was obviously attempting to use to help him find whatever it was he desired.

His thoughts were momentarily interrupted by the ding of his office elevator. Ozpin quickly closed the windows on his computer, turning his attention towards his two guests who as they walked in. To say that both men had been uncomfortable in such close quarters to one another, despite the shortness of the trip, would be an understatement. James Ironwood and Dr. Joseph Lazarus hated one another with a passion. Neither man saw eye to eye, not for a lack of trying. The problem, perhaps, lay in their perspectives on things. James was a very by the book, the black and white sort who saw little wiggle room for interpretation. Lazarus, on the other hand, was a man whose works were based off the question of "what if?" Not only that, he had the drive to make it happen, to seek out the answers to the questions he posed in an attempt to gain a greater understanding of things. While in many cases this would be a noble character trait, Lazarus unfortunately had several bumps in his past which had left many distrustful of him and vice versa.

"Ozpin, it's so good to see you," James said, approaching the headmaster to envelope him in a warm and affectionate hug.

"You as well, James," Ozpin said, returning the man's hug while also shooting a glance over towards Lazarus.

The good doctor kept his distance, his face maintaining a neutral expression that showed neither delight at being here or derision at having to spend some time in the presence of General Ironwood. The man was here of his own volition, a fact he would not allow to be brought into question. Ozpin approached him next, expecting none of the showcasing Ironwood had made from the man. He extended his arm in a friendly handshake and waited patiently as the man regarded it for a moment before shaking it in turn. For a moment Ozpin thought he saw the crack of a small smile beginning to form at the corners of his mouth but it was quickly snuffed out.

"A pleasure to have you here after so many years, Joseph," he said.

"The pleasure is all mine," Lazarus agreed.

"You're in a surprisingly good mood. Usually you wouldn't speak two words to Oz," James mocked.

"Recent events and developments have given me reason to cultivate some hope, General," Lazarus replied, brushing off the mocking comment like an unwanted piece of lint.

"Still on the hunt for Merlot? Honestly, when are you going to give it a rest? The man's been dead for nearly a decade. You saw proof enough of his demise yourself."

"A pile of rubble and a blood splatter are hardly convincing enough evidence of one man's death. If nothing else, it was proof that he had escaped. Without a body to back up your claims, I'll spend the rest of my life hunting that man down until he is brought to justice," Lazarus said, stepping past Ozpin to move threateningly towards Ironwood.

"Just like how you were brought to justice?" Ironwood countered.

Lazarus' gaze turned deadly as he glared daggers at the General. Though Ironwood smirked, reveling in his victory, it was difficult to miss his hand subconsciously move closer to his handgun hidden just beneath his coat.

"I see you brought a rather large procession with you," Ozpin said, quickly changing the subject. "Always one for the theatrics, I see."

"It's not as theatrical as it was practical," James said, turning to gaze at his fleet hovering over the city of Vale. "With the recent breaches we've had in security I thought it best that I travel with a heavy escort. Wouldn't want to have another incident like the one that happened yesterday, would we?" he asked, flashing Ozpin a coy smile.

Ozpin hide his grimace behind a sip of his coffee. Leave it to James Ironwood to be kept in the know not only of what happened to his Paladin but how it was eventually dismantled. Ozpin started to wonder just how much he was in the know about. Certainly there were things he intended to share with his old friend but all in good time and through his own filters. Leave the man to his own devises and he could very well misinterpret the situation completely.

"Funny, I thought Atlas security was infallible, or so we've been led to believe," Lazarus said with barbed words. Ozpin shot him a warning glare but the man ignored it. James had dealt him an underhanded blow and he wasn't about to walk away the loser of this fight.

"We are the best but not impregnable. The theft of our Paladin has shown us were our defenses were weak and we have made strides in improving those areas," Ironwood said, refusing to rise to his bait.

"Paladins," Lazarus said.

"Excuse me."

"You said Paladin, singular. According to my information it wasn't one but several that were stolen. Care to offer a rebuttal?"

James shot Ozpin an accusatory look, one which caused the man to take a step back in hesitation.

"Oh, don't be so quick to place blame, James," Lazarus said in a mocking tone. "Ozpin didn't inform me of anything. Truth be told this is the first time we've spoken face to face in quite some time. No, I still have sources in Atlas, ones who were more than capable of keeping me informed of the situation."

"Yes, you are correct in your statement," Ironwood said, relaxing his gaze on Ozpin as he released a tired sigh. "It wasn't made public because we didn't want to insight panic."

"Or lose face," Lazarus added.

"But we are working to insure that no more thefts are made on our shipments and that the remaining Paladins are recovered or destroyed."

"Like the one that was destroyed by Ozpin's students and the vigilante Archangel," he concluded.

"Yes, though to call him a vigilante is giving him more credit than he deserves."

"You're right, he deserves something more, something that encompasses the accomplishments he's made in Vale's service."

"He's a criminal," Ironwood growled.

"Are you certain of that?" Lazarus said, taking a few steps towards the man. "He's undermined several dust robberies in the past few months, thwarted an attempt made by the White Fang and Roman Torchwick to steal a shipment of dust being made by the SDC in secret, and helped to eliminate a rogue Paladin. If anything I'd say his actions suggest he's anything but a criminal."

"He operates outside the law. That alone makes him a criminal," Ironwood argued.

"There are outposts and villages which live outside the jurisdiction of the kingdoms. Does that make them criminals as well?"

"If I didn't know any better I'd say your supporting the actions of this vagabond," Ironwood snarled.

"If you had known any better, James, you would have taken greater precautions when transporting your new toys. Instead, you allowed your pride to blind yourself to the possibility of Atlas' security being compromised, an act which led to Ozpin's students and this _vagabond_ having to clean up your mess and that was against one of them. You think I'm in support of his actions? Of course I am. He protected countless lives from your inadequacies and if you're lucky he'll do the same when the rest of your missing Paladins pop up."

Ironwood was seething with rage, his teeth grinding together as he glared down at the smirk Lazarus wore triumphantly on his face. The man hadn't goaded Ironwood into a conflict simply to get even for his earlier barb. Oh no, he'd intended to walk away victorious and he'd done so with a monumental victory at that.

"That's enough, both of you!" Ozpin said, his tone far more firm than was usual for a man of his demeanor. "I understand that you both have misgivings about one another but here and now they are unimportant. We, gentleman, are part of Remnant's last bastion of hope for the future. If we start arguing among ourselves, allowing past grievances and distrust to split us apart, we'll only be making her job that much easier."

Both men exchanged glances, their expressions neutral but their eyes blazing with more emotion than Ozpin cared to admit was there. Regardless, they relaxed their stance, turning their attention back to the headmaster.

"Agreed," Ironwood said.

"A fair point indeed," Lazarus agreed to Ozpin's surprise and relief.

"Good. Now that's out of the way, I thought we might discuss preparations for the upcoming Vytal festival."

"Are you sure we shouldn't save that for later? Not all of us will be present for the events," Ironwood said, glancing towards Lazarus as he spoke.

"Contrary to belief, I fully intent to be present for this year's festival," Lazarus said.

"That's wonderful news. It'll be a pleasure to have you here to enjoy the festivities."

"What's the catch?" Ironwood asked unconvinced.

"James," Ozpin said in a warning tone.

"No, no, he's quite right. My presence is not without purpose," Lazarus said, waving aside Ozpin's worry of another argument. "I returned to Vale for the simple fact that my investigation has led me to believe that the best place to start is at the beginning."

"The beginning? You mean Mountain Glenn?" Ironwood asked.

"Joseph, that facility has been abandoned for years. You yourself saw it reduced to rubble. Why go back now?"

"Because it's the best place to start looking afresh. What better place to set up shop than the one place everyone believes to be abandoned or out of commission? Even the council has forbidden anyone but Hunters from entering the area."

"With good reason," Ironwood argued. "That region is crawling with Grimm. An untrained civilian like yourself has no chance of surviving."

"Thank you for your concern, James, but I don't recall ever saying that I would be going there personally."

"You sending someone else then?" Ozpin inquired.

"Of course. A small team, easy to get in and out. Well trained as well."

"And the council approved of this?" Ironwood asked with a suspicious tone.

"The council agreed to allow me to sponsor a reconnaissance mission there, yes. My team will slip in and look for any evidence that might prove my theories to be correct."

"A mission like that could be dangerous," Ozpin pointed out.

"Only if there's anything aside from Grimm in that region. If there are we'll know and if not, then you'll have been proven correct."

Ironwood and Ozpin exchanged looks, neither man finding the mission all that advantageous. While Ironwood himself would be more than happy to prove Lazarus wrong, he'd prefer it done with a team of his backing and experience rather than a small group of volunteers who Lazarus had hired on the spot. He didn't exactly trust the man to act rationally, especially with how much his desire to prove that Merlot was still alive and well had become somewhat of an obsession for him over the years.

"Joseph, are you certain this is a good idea? Perhaps it could wait until after the festival. I'll have more than a few well experienced hunters who could lend a hand," Ozpin offered.

"There's no need," Lazarus said, making his towards the elevator. "My team will be more than adequate for the job. Besides, it's imperative that it be done now, when the Festival is looming on the horizon. Such an event will be a distraction for more than the local populace."

"If you insist. However, I would like to extend an invitation for you to attend the Vytal festival dance our academy will be hosting."

"I assumed such an event would be meant for the students, teachers and dignitaries," he said, shooting a glance towards Ironwood as he spoke.

"True, though we are able to invite esteemed guests to attend. Hence why I'm offering to allow you to go, with a date of course."

Lazarus paused for a moment, giving the matter consideration. His face didn't betray any of his thoughts or emotions, leaving Ozpin to worry his old friend may reject the offer completely. As the elevator arrived and the doors opened to admit entry, Lazarus gave his answer before stepping in.

"I'll think about it," he said and pushed to button for the bottom floor.

"What are you planning, Ozpin?" Ironwood asked.

"It's been a long time since I last saw or spoke to him. You know as well as I do just how obsessed he's been with finding Merlot. While I can't control his actions outside of the Kingdom, let alone within my own school, I will do what I can to keep him within my sight and out of trouble."

"I see, so you're keeping an eye on him in order to protect your students," Ironwood concluded.

"More so for his own safety than theirs. I have to wonder, though, what if he's right? What if Merlot really is alive?"

"Ozpin, you can be serious? You saw the facility same as I did."

"Perhaps, but Lazarus brought up a good point. Just because we were unable to find the body doesn't mean the man is dead. Regardless, I think it better we keep an eye him. Should this blow out of proportion, I'd rather be prepared to help minimize the damage."

"Agreed," James said.

* * *

**Vale – Phoenix's Apartment - Jaune**

Jaune examined himself in the mirror and frowned. Just as he had suspected blue and purple bruises of varying sizes dotted his back and chest. The fight with Torchwick had taken its toll, his aura having provided protection against the worst of it but not without some setbacks. He had to remain perfectly still just to be able to sleep at night without some part of his body screaming out in agony. While his massive aura pool was working as best it could to repair the damage, it wasn't on the level of a healing factor most comic book characters displayed in their stories. At best it was a shield that guarded against the worst, preventing otherwise horrendous attacks from leaving the victim with gashes in their skin or broken and shattered bones. It would be a week or so at most before the bruises faded. Until then he would have to be mindful of what he did.

As he slipped on his shirt and secured his wig on his head, a loud knocking on his door caught his attention. Jaune glanced towards the clock, looking at the time as he compared it with a similar appointment he had scheduled for the day. It was still early, especially considering it was a weekend. He wasn't expecting anyone to come by at this time. In fact, he'd planned to simply walk around town and relax for a bit. The knocking came again, this time louder and, if he was being honest, more fervent. He sighed, checking his appearance to ensure that he looked the part of Phoenix Ash before heading for the door.

"I'm coming," he called out, expecting another knock to impatiently demand his attention. "Good morning, how may-?" he began only to cut himself off when he spied his four unexpected guests crowded outside his door.

"Good morning, Phoenix," Weiss said in a cheerful, businesslike manner. "May we come in?"

* * *

"I must admit; this is a bit of a surprise having you all here. Had you wanted to speak with me you could have just called," Phoenix said, taking a seat in an armchair adjacent from team RWBY.

The moment he'd found all four of them standing outside his door early in the morning, on a weekend no less, Jaune, acting as Phoenix, had known all too well that they either suspected something or were looking for information that would likely point them towards Archangel. He knew that he had to play along as any attempts he made to worm his way out of the current situation could be seen as suspicious and further cement whatever theories they had him pegged for. As such he'd busied himself by making them each some coffee (the exception being Blake, of course, who preferred tea) and letting them make themselves at home. It didn't escape him at all when they'd chosen to seat themselves across from him in a manner that ensured all eyes were firmly on him.

After settling into his seat, and watching as Ruby put so much sugar into her coffee that his own teeth began to ache, he decided it was best to play on the defensive until he had a firm grasp of his current situation.

"We were just in the neighborhood and thought we'd stop by," Yang commented.

"Really? At nine o'clock on a Saturday? Most teens your age would still be asleep, let alone walking around so far from Beacon or the shopping district for that matter," he pointed out.

He tallied up a point for himself as he watched Yang's easy confident smile falter into a half grimace as he pointed out the irregularities in her thinking. Obviously she'd have to come up with a better excuse than that.

"We also wanted to see how you've been fairing. There's been some unusual criminal activity as of late and we wanted to make sure you hadn't been counted among the victims," Weiss said, coming to the aid of her teammate.

"That's very kind of you, Weiss. I truly appreciate your concern," he said with an easy kindheartedness that had the heiress beaming. "As you can see I'm quite well."

"Indeed," she said, taking a dainty sip of her coffee.

"Speaking of the unusual criminal activity, I happened to see something about it the other day on the news," he said, quickly rebounding on the offensive. He noticed as Ruby stiffened in her seat and Blake's bow twitched in an unusual manner. "Something in regards to a rampaging Atlas Paladin."

"We didn't have anything to do with Torchwick and the Paladin," Ruby quickly stated.

"Torchwick was involved!?" he said in surprise. Though most would have seen through this forced reaction, Ruby was not one of them. Her smile quickly wilted as she realized she'd given away more than she'd intended. This was further confirmed when her partner Weiss face-palmed in embarrassment and Yang covered her grimace with another sip of her coffee. Jaune cheered internally but he wasn't done yet. Blake had still managed to hold her composure and he wanted to end with a full house. "Please tell me this didn't have anything to do with the White Fang," he pleaded, directing it at Blake. The cat faunus couldn't hold her gaze, shifting her eyes guiltily.

Jaune groaned, or pretended to, as he face-palmed himself and lowered his head. The action, coupled with each of the member's embarrassment, distracted them from the fact that he was in fact smiling triumphantly. While the girls had come here confident in whatever mission they'd intended to accomplish, he'd effectively shaken that confidence. Now, regardless of whatever they asked, he'd ensured that they were at least facing one another on common ground. Their advantage was gone, allowing him to regain a foothold and possibly avoid any awkwardness that might make him look suspicious in their eyes.

"You know, with all the hijinks you girls get up to, I shouldn't be surprised that you all were involved somehow. It's a wonder your all sitting on my couch unharmed."

"Eh, we're just that good. It takes skill to face what we've faced and come out on top," Yang boosted.

"I'd call it having sheer dumb luck," he countered, "of which you four have it in spades. In all seriousness, don't expect it to work out every time. Eventually, your luck will run out and right when you least expect it."

"We'll be careful, Phoenix. We have each other's backs, no matter the situation," Ruby said cheerfully.

"At least your comradery has improved since the last time we spoke," he said, earning some nervous laughter from the group. "Speaking of which, with how much you girls have been interfering with the underground, has it never crossed your minds that you might fare a bit better by leaving it to the authorities?"

"When they've obviously made so much progress and accomplished so much?" Blake said, her word dripping with sarcasm. "They've had multiple opportunities to act and yet they do nothing or arrive after the incident has occurred."

"You ever consider they might actually be closer to stopping these crimes than you realize and that the only reason they've been unsuccessful is due to the interference of a certain huntress team from Beacon?" he pointed out.

Blake's irritation quickly smoldered, her bow drooping along with her mood. He'd given her a strong point, one which she'd be hard pressed to argue against. Jaune decided to press his advantage, hoping to alleviate some of the interference they would no doubt provide him in the future. Their assistance the night previous hadn't exactly gone to plan. In fact, they'd completely thrown his plan out the window, instead improving their own stratagems that, while having proven effective at destroying the stolen Paladin, had still allowed Torchwick to escape. Although he had only himself to blame for having "invited" them to participate in this operation, he'd learned the hard way just how much trouble they could be. Better to have them as far away from the danger as possible rather than right in the middle of it all or worse the cause of it.

"And here I thought the lecture we'd received from Miss Goodwitch was bad enough. I didn't expect to get an encore from Phoenix, of all people," Yang mumbled.

"With everything you've put that poor woman through I'm surprised she hasn't had an aneurism yet," he shot back, causing Yang to cringe in response. "Regardless, I know you four didn't come here to be lectured. I'm guessing you have something on your minds that requires my assistance."

"Indeed we do," Weiss said, jumping on the opportunity to change the subject. "Yang, if you wouldn't mind filling him in?"

Brushing aside the awkwardness of the last few moments, Yang quickly filled him in regarding the events that had lead up to them fighting Torchwick. Jaune made sure to show an ample amount of concern and surprise when she divulged that Archangel had contacted them personally, before she elaborated on their own version of the plan as each of them split off to accomplish a different though relevant tasks. She focused mostly on the events that unfolded for her, giving brief summaries of what each of her teammates had gotten up to, before concluding with their eventual agreement to come and see him.

"So, this friend of yours downtown," he said, giving Yang a suspicious look, "he gave you a description of a man matching my appearance, including the missing arm, as someone who had come by asking about White Fang activity?"

"Yep," she replied.

"And he further illustrated the fact that Archangel came calling later that evening, asking for the same thing?"

"He said the man had acted as a third party, mostly to get him in the door so he wouldn't be too surprised when he visited."

"I see, and you think the man he described was me?"

"To be clear, Phoenix, we suspect it could be anyone who matches that description. We simply wished to visit you and ask you personally before coming to any conclusions ourselves," Weiss stated.

"I see, well I appreciate the thought. Not many would have the integrity to ask the person in question but rather come to their own conclusions regardless of the circumstantial evidence."

"So you deny it to be true?" Blake asked expectantly.

"Oh no, on the contrary, Junior was telling the truth. I did indeed go to him asking for information of the White Fang," he said matter-of-factly.

If there was one regret Jaune had at that moment it was not having a camera at the ready to take a snapshot of their stunned faces as a result. He'd later reflect on the moment, chuckling to himself as he imagined using the photo as his Christmas card should his assignment necessitate the use of his assumed identity for that long. Sadly he would only have his memories to look back on but every time he did he would find himself unable to hold back the laughter that followed.

"Wait, what?" Yang asked, dumbfounded.

"Y-you're admitting to it, just like that?" Weiss stammered, clearly having difficulty coming to terms with his easy going attitude about the whole thing.

"Of course, it's not like I have any reason to lie," he said with a cheeky grin.

"Why?" was all she managed.

"Why what?" he asked, putting on a confused look.

"What I think Weiss means is, why admit so easily to something that almost invariably pegs you as an accomplice to Archangel?" Blake elaborated.

"Considering the circumstances I was under, at the time, I assumed it was obvious," he said. As he looked at the collection of perplexed expressions he sighed and said, "just me then, hmm?

Well, to elaborate, my reasons for going to see Junior began a couple nights prior to it when I went out to investigate a noise I'd heard near my apartment only to discover a young faunus who was cold, wet, and on the verge of catching pneumonia," he said, shooting Blake a glance that had her turning away and blushing in embarrassment. "Despite my best efforts to convince her to return to her team, or at least contact them and let them know she was okay, she insisted on finding the White Fang so she could put to rest an argument she'd had with one of her other teammates."

This time his eyes locked onto Weiss who in turn averted her own gaze, though more so out of guilt rather than embarrassment. "Seeing no alternative I instead went to the one person I'd heard could provide me with the information I needed, against my better judgment I might add," he said, mumbling the last bit as he took a sip of his coffee. "I passed on the information to the young faunus in the hopes she would simply act as an observer and not get involved. Imagine my surprise, not to mention the subsequent heart attack that followed, when I turned on the news the following morning only to discover the events that had unfolded at the docks."

If Jaune had felt any sympathy for his old friends, it evaporated quickly as he spoke. Where at first only Blake and Weiss looked overcome with guilt, both for the situation that had occurred at the docks as well as the argument that they had allowed to tear their team apart, all four members looked around awkwardly, none of them able to look him in the eye. The one conciliation Jaune could take from this was realizing exactly what they'd come looking for. Granted he'd been warned yesterday by Junior after Yang paid him a visit but he hadn't expected them to react so quickly. He could only assume it was the sheer amount of trust he'd built up with the members of their team that had allowed him to avoid so much suspicion. Still, he'd need to be more cautious in the future.

"So then, the fact that Archangel visited later that evening?" Weiss managed, regaining some of her composure.

"Pure coincidence," he said without hesitation.

"You'll forgive me for not buying that explanation," Yang chimed in.

"I'd honestly find it rather troubling if you had," Phoenix said. "However, let me ask you this Yang, how much do you trust Junior?"

"I wouldn't use the word _trust_ when describing him," she replied with a smirk.

"He's more the type whose honesty depends on how much lien you're willing to fork over and even then you can be sure he'll hold something back," he concluded.

"Exactly," Yang agreed.

"So, with that much established, how much would you trust him to tell you truth about Archangel and any accomplices he might have sent to the club to establish a meeting between them?"

While the question wasn't rhetorical, it was enough to give Yang reason to rethink everything she'd been told by Junior. Jaune could see the process she was going through in her mind written all over her face. He'd successfully planted a seed of doubt in her and it was already growing at an exponential rate. He suppressed the triumphant grin that wanted to spread across his face. He couldn't afford to give away too much, not at this stage of the game.

"So he was lying," Weiss concluded, rubbing the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"Yes and no," he corrected. "He told you just enough to facilitate his needs. Whether he lied is up for debate. It's more a process of finding out where the truth ends and the lie begins."

"Yea, thanks for the pep talk but that still leaves us right where we started," Yang complained.

"At least we know who Archangel is," Ruby proffered as a consolation.

"Ruby!" Weiss snapped, horrified at what she'd just revealed.

"Oh, um, I mean…" Ruby stammered, her face turning red from her embarrassment and guilt.

"You know who he is?" Jaune said, intrigued. "You mean you caught a glimpse of his face or something?"

"Not exactly," Yang said.

"Just forget I said anything," Ruby quickly interjected.

"No, no, I understand. Information like that can be very sensitive," he agreed, though inwardly he was suspicious of just how close to the truth they really were.

"Actually, now that it's out in the open, perhaps we should let you in on the secret," Weiss said.

"Weiss," Blake hissed, giving her a warning glare.

"Blake, we came into his home and almost accused him of being in league with the vigilante. Considering all he's done for us, not to mention everything we've put him through, he deserves to know."

Blake rubbed her temples in frustration, letting a deep sigh escape her lips but otherwise relenting to Weiss' suggestion.

"You honestly don't have to tell me anything," Jaune insisted.

"No, it's alright. To be fair we're still not sure just how close to the truth this information really is. There are so many questions left unanswered that, just knowing his identity throws so many things into suspicion," she replied. "Ruby, I think you should be the one to tell him."

"Right, well, you see, I have a friend named Penny. I meet her during our search for Blake when she ran away. She was with us during the incident at the docks but disappeared soon after. Yesterday, I ran into her and she told me she'd discovered Archangel's identity. She said she'd somehow gotten a hold of his DNA and had run some tests on it. Honestly, we're still as confused about it now as we were last night."

"I don't mean to pry, Ruby, but you're starting to ramble. Who did she say it was?"

Ruby hesitated for a moment, playing with a small strand of her hair as she built up the courage to speak. "She said that Archangel was really our friend Jaune Arc, which is impossible because he died over a year ago."

The stunned look of surprise that overtook his face was anything but an act. In fact, of all the emotions and expressions he'd displayed during their conversation this was the first true reaction that had been incited from him. He cursed internally, wondering just who or how they'd managed to gain a portion of his DNA. For now, that much didn't matter. Bringing himself back to the current situation he realized that they weren't quite so sure if it was true or not. That could be worked to his advantage. So long as they questioned the legitimacy of him being Archangel he could keep them off his trail.

"Archangel is also you're deceased friend?" he asked, hoping they didn't notice the nervous tone of his voice.

"I know, I'm having trouble coming to terms with it myself. There are so many questions I have and so many things I want to say. I just don't know how I should feel about or how he feels about us."

"Ruby, you're rambling again," he interjected, grateful that her cumbersome personality perfectly camouflaged his own trip up.

"Sorry, I'm just-," she paused, taking a moment to collect herself before speaking. "Part of me wants it to be true. It would mean he was alive and that so much pain brought about from his supposed death could be alleviated but…"

"But, there's also some bad attached to it as well," Phoenix concluded.

"Yea," Ruby agreed, "there would be a lot of questions, ones that need answers. Even his motivations for fooling us all into thinking he was dead could cause problems."

"It's already caused problems," Weiss murmured.

Her teammates caught the comment though no one said anything to reprimand her. In truth, they felt similarly. Even Phoenix felt a twinge of guilt. He'd known for a long time that, should his identity be called into question, a great deal of pain caused from his actions would come cascading down around him. It would be like a wall that had been breached by the Grimm, the black mass being all the negative emotions he'd caused. He knew the easier option would be to continue the illusion, maintain the guise of Phoenix and let everyone move on by believing he was still dead. He could even give Archangel the same treatment, allowing him to pass gracefully in a final act of selflessness. However, a part of him wouldn't allow it. It didn't sit well with him, living the remainder of his days in a lie, fearful he might be found out at some point. He knew he'd have to face them all eventually but that didn't make the prospect of it an easy one to face.

"Phoenix, can I ask you a question?" Ruby asked.

"I take it you want to know what I'd do in your situation?" he said, taking a stab in the dark.

Ruby offered a simple smile, one that said he was correct but also fearful of what he might say. He took a moment to consider the question, gazing down into his now lukewarm tea. He knew he could give her the simplest answer, perhaps even one that might work to his advantage should he be confronted by her as Archangel later on. Again, that didn't sit well with him. Ruby was one of the most honest and trustworthy people he'd ever known and she deserved the same of him.

"I can't say that I've ever experienced the same situation you and your team are facing, Ruby. Honestly, I'd find it rather odd to say I know exactly how you feel in every regard," he said, smiling a little before returning to a serious expression. "Were I you, though, I'd be elated. The death of a friend, especially a close one, is not something I would ever want to experience. To have someone close to me taken so suddenly only to have them return would be an incredible relief. It would be an immense weight off my shoulders simply knowing they were alive and well."

Ruby's smile broadened as he spoke. His words were building her up, giving her hope.

"But," he said.

And that hope quickly died a horrible death as her smile faded instantly.

"Any measure of happiness or relief I might feel would quickly be overshadowed by pain, mistrust, and anger. There would be so many questions I would want answered, would demand they be answered. How long had they been alive? What have they been doing in that time? Did they never consider how this might affect their friends and family? In the gods' honest truth, I think I'd skip asking questions and move straight into slugging them in the face for what they pulled."

Yang grinned at this comment, obviously feeling the same way, while Weiss face palmed and Blake allowed a small smirk to form at the corner of her mouth.

"That being said, I think it would also be wise to allow them a chance to explain themselves," he said, earning some questioning looks from the girls. "Like I said, I'd want answers but I couldn't allow my emotions override my reasoning. It's easy to give in and simply blame them for all the pain I was put through as a result of their supposed passing but that doesn't mean they feel guiltless for what they've done."

"I suppose that's true," Weiss admitted.

"I agree," Blake said, finding herself more receptive to his analogy after having been on the other end of things.

"I still think I'd rather slug him first then forgive him later," Yang said, smashing her fist into her palm as a visual aid. While he smirked in amusement, the action was meant to hide the discomfort he felt at hearing her say that.

"I'd forgive him," Ruby said, causing her teammates to shoot her a collective confused look. "What? He was the first friend I made at Beacon and my fellow team leader. I'm not saying I won't be made at him for what he's done but I honestly couldn't stay mad and not forgive him."

"True, that would be the mature thing to do," Weiss agreed.

"Well, it's getting late. We should probably head back to Beacon," Blake said, stretching as she pulled herself off the couch.

"Thanks for talking with us," Ruby said, quickly giving Phoenix a hug as he stumbled from his chair.

The affectionate embrace caught him by surprise, throwing him off guard before he patted her on the shoulder. He followed the girls to the door, watching as they each walked outside, before Weiss turned, starring him right in the eye.

"Phoenix," she said.

"Weiss?" he replied, uncertain of what he should say.

"I was wondering…" she began, hesitating for a moment, "that is to say, would you be at all interested…"

Phoenix cocked an eyebrow, obviously interested to know what she wanted. Weiss' cheeks turned a slight shade of pink, her nerves getting the best of her as she quickly spun on her heel and sauntered out of the door.

"Never mind, forget I said anything. I'll see you another time. Our apologies for the interruption."

He shrugged, not giving her actions too much thought as he watched them leave. The moment they were out of view, though, he quickly shut the door, locking it securely behind him before falling against the wall and sliding down to the floor.

His hand came up to his face, his heart hammering in his chest as he breathed heavily. All the guilt and displeasure he'd been forced to reign in while they sat across from him, unaware of just whom they were speaking too had almost been too much. They knew, or at least had reason to believe, that he was Archangel. He'd just managed to throw them off the trail of believing that he, as Phoenix, was working with his other alter ego and that had taken some quick thinking on his part simply to pull off. In any other circumstance he might have slipped up entirely. They were getting close, too close for comfort. The situation called for him putting a good deal of distance between them but how could he do that without looking suspicious, especially with recent events.

There was really only one thing he could do. Reaching into his pocket he fumbled out his scroll and dialed one of the few numbers saved on the device. It barely rang once before its owner answered.

" _This is Lazarus_ ," he said.

"It's Phoenix," Jaune said, saying the name not only as a code but a precaution should the line be tapped. "We need to speak."

" _I see. I'll be over promptly._ "

The dial tone sounded, calming Jaune in a manner that would have been odd for anyone else but, considering everything he'd experienced recently, it was nirvana in comparison. Stowing his phone away he picked himself up off the floor before moving to the den. The coffee table was still littered with their half-drunk or finished tea cups. He picked up his, attempting to busy himself while he waited. He'd barely entered the kitchen when the cup slipped from his hand, smashing loudly on the floor. Starring down at the mess of tea and china he sighed tiredly to himself.

"It's going to be a long day," he murmured.

* * *

"Well, that was a bust," Yang said, crossing her arms behind her head as they walked towards the bullhead station.

"I disagree. We were able to eliminate him as a potential suspect," Weiss said.

"I don't know. The only reason he was able to evade suspicion was because he managed to come up with some plausible excuses. He could still be working with Archangel and we just wouldn't know it," Blake pointed out.

"Speaking of suspicious, what was your deal when we were leaving?" Yang asked.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"What do I mean? How about the fact that you were completely stumbling over your words before chickening out."

"A Schnee does not _chicken out_ ," Weis said, pointing an aggressive finger in Yang's face, "it was a tactical retreat."

"So you were about to ask him out," Yang concluded with a victorious smile.

Weiss cursed under breath, embarrassed that she'd given herself away so easily.

"You know, it's not too late to run back and ask. We'll wait for you at the bullhead station."

"That won't be necessary. There's nothing between us, we're just friends," she said in a matter of fact tone.

"If you say so. Well, don't wait up for me," Yang said, turning back towards Phoenix's place.

"Where are you going?" Weiss asked, stopping in her tracks.

"What? According to you Phoenix is just a friend. That means he's fair game. I thought I might try my luck, maybe even land myself a date for the dance."

"Don't you dare!" Weiss blurted out before she could stop herself.

Yang's grin, which was already spread wide across her face, somehow managed to grow even wider. Had this been wonderland, she would have looked like a blonde, more attractive version of the Cheshire cat. In turn, Weiss' pale features gave way to a wave of crimson as she her embarrassment took hold.

"So you were trying to ask him out~"

"It doesn't matter. It wouldn't have worked out anyway," she replied, turning on her heel once more.

"Why not?" Ruby asked.

"It just wouldn't," Weiss concluded.

"Is it because he only has one arm?" Blake posed.

"Of course not! I would never be that shallow!" she snapped.

"Then why?" Yang prodded.

"It just- it just wouldn't," she said.

"You know, if you scarred of being rejected, it's alright to admit it," Yang said.

"I'm not scared of being rejected, Xio Long."

"You know, despite only having one arm, if you were to ask him out he might use it as an excuse to get a prosthetic just so he'll look good in his suit."

"Yang," Ruby said in a warning tone.

"If the night went well, you'd go with him back to his apartment. He'd look into your eyes, you into his," she said in a sultry tone as she leaned down to speak softly into the heiress' ear. "The feel of cold steel against bare skin sending chills down your body~"

"Xio Long, that is enough!" Weiss snapped, leaping away from her teammate as she burst into laughter. "Honestly, I wonder sometimes if Ruby is the more mature one out of you two."

"I ask myself the same question all the time," Blake commented.

"Yea, but I'm not the one who's face is bright red now am I?" she said.

Weiss glowered before turning back towards Beacon and stomping away in frustration. Tonight was going to be a very long night for her.

* * *

Lazarus eyed his young protégé with a mixture of surprise and bewilderment. The young man had looked tired and even a bit reluctant when he arrived, something he hadn't seen from him in a long while. After taking a seat Phoenix had told him everything that had happened earlier that afternoon. He was admittedly impressed with his ability to quickly avert any suspicion away from himself but was even more surprised with how easily they'd figured out his identity as Archangel. Still, there were some things he wasn't quite sure on and as Phoenix finished speaking he collected his thoughts on the matter.

"You said it was one of her new friends who found your DNA and used it to verify your identity?" he asked.

"Yea, she didn't say exactly how though I think the fact that her findings led her to myself was proof enough it was true."

"Indeed. Did she at least give you her name?"

"Penny, I think? I didn't catch her last name, though."

"Paloendina," Lazarus concluded, his eyebrows creasing as he took on a more serious look.

"You know her?"

"I know her father or rather her creator," he answered.

"Her creator? What do you mean?"

"The girl your friend, Ruby I think you said, meet is not a girl at all. She's a machine. Her creator made her as an exact replica to his daughter as a way of healing from her unfortunate passing."

"What happened to her?" he asked, curious but also a little sympathetic.

"Illness. Cancer. Something all our advancements in medicine and technology are still struggling to overcome. She was all he had left. He took her death pretty hard, enough that he became obsessed with recreating her in whatever way he could. Thus, he made Penny, a robot completely capable of generating aura."

"That's incredible."

"I'd agree but it's also reason enough for us to be more cautious."

"What do you mean?"

"While Dr. Paloendina may be her creator, she is technically Atlas property."

"Atlas? As in the kingdom?"

"As in the military. As in General Ironwood, who is here in Vale, by the way."

That was all Lazarus needed to say to put his point across. Phoenix's face paled, the implications of what this meant evident in his expression. Penny was Atlas military property. If she knew who he was there a good chance Ironwood did as well. Add to the fact he was in Vale and he could quickly find himself facing off against Atlas military troops as well as White Fang operatives and Torchwick. Things were about to become a whole lot more complicated and all due to the fact that he'd allowed himself to bleed.

"I know what you're thinking, Jaune, and you can relax," Lazarus assured him. "I meet with Ironwood this morning. From what I can recall of our discussion, any subject matter revolving around Archangel didn't seem to imply he knew of your identity."

"You're certain of that?" he asked, hopeful but not completely committed.

"It's plausible but I wouldn't put money on whether or not he's been informed or still in the dark. I think it best if we move forward with extreme caution. The less reason he has to suspect you the better."

"Agreed," Jaune said, releasing a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Do you have a plan in mind for this?"

"I do, actually. Have you ever heard of Mountain Glenn?"

"Vaguely. We learned a little about it when I was attending Beacon. It was a failed colony outside of the Kingdom that was destroyed by Grimm, wasn't it?"

"That's the official story, yes. The real reason for why it was destroyed lies within the ruins themselves. I plan to have you go there within the next few weeks and sift through the wreckage of an old facility that was once operated by Dr. Merlot. It's assumed to be his final resting place but I suspect otherwise. I need you to collect as much evidence as you can from there."

"Sounds like fun," he said, honestly relieved to be getting out of the city for a while. With all the crazy shenanigans as of late, a mission that took him away from the public eye might help to throw any potential pursuers off his trail, including team RWBY. "What should I do until then?"

"Have you heard that your old school will be hosting a dance near the beginning of the Vytal festival?"

"I'm aware of it. Why?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Ozpin invited me to attend, no doubt to keep a closer eye me. I figured that two could play at that game and have decided to indulge his request. I've also been allowed to bring someone of my choosing along."

"A date?"

"A guest," he clarified.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"The best place to hide is in plain sight. Neither he nor Ironwood would suspect Archangel is standing right in front of them, sipping on some punch," he said with a grin.

"If you insist. I take it you have a suit ready for me."

"As well as a new prosthetic to go along with the ensemble. Flesh toned, mind you, to be more conspicuous."

"Of course," he replied sarcastically.

* * *

**Mountain Glenn – Undisclosed location – Dr. Merlot**

The creatures of Grimm. For millennia they have been the most feared and hated enemies of humanity. Seeking only their destruction, they hunted mankind relentlessly. Often considered mindless by the way in which they acted, what little information that had been collected on their overall intelligence pointed to them being attracted to negativity, much like a moth to the flame. Still, by all appearances it would seem they had the capacity to learn just as older and often times larger Grimm were seen as having a greater intelligence than their lesser kin. Still, there was a great deal left to learn about them and Merlot was determined to uncover all of their secrets.

As part of that process, he first had to collect the creatures. Not a simple task in the least. In the past it had taken elaborate traps and mechanized assistants to aid him in his endeavor. Now, however, he had the aid of a fairly powerful benefactor, one capable of delivering him all the Grimm he required for his experiments. From behind reinforced glass he sat, operating a control panel as a Beowulf in the next chamber struggled against it's confines. Its arms, legs, and muzzle had all been restrained as a plethora of needles containing a bright green liquid were injected into the creature. The moment they pierced its hide the creature began to struggle more but not out of pain. No, such an act would not illicit pain but rather aggression, a need to destroy that which sought to destroy itself. Merlot had learned a great deal about these creatures. So much had been wrongly assumed and yet he alone knew more about them than all of humanity combined.

"Don't struggle, little one. Let the process take it's course," he said in a soothing voice.

The Beowulf continued to strain against it bindings but as the liquid seeped into it's flesh a visible change came over the creature. Its crimson eyes took on a sickly green color and the bone armor that covered its body gained a notable appearance, almost as if it had hardened. All at once thick green spikes burst from its back but despite this it showed no signs of pain and ceased trying to struggle. Pleased with the creature's reaction Merlot pressed a few buttons, releasing the bindings, before opening the chamber door. He walked into the room, standing adjacent from the creature as he looked down at it with a pleased smile. The creature regarded him with curiosity, as if it didn't know what to make of the man.

"Don't be afraid. Come to Papa," he coed, opening his arms wide.

The creature moved slowly towards the doctor, its claws clicking against the metal floor. It sniffed him curiously, taking in his scent, before nuzzling its snout against his chest. Pleased, Merlot began to stroke the Beowulf's head affectionately. The gruff noise it made in response could only be considered a pleasing one though it was still unsettling to hear. The moment was soon interrupted, however, as a notification sounded from the control panel.

Merlot walked back into his lab, the Beowulf following close behind like a dog after its master. Taking a seat, he clicked a button to accept an incoming call and watched as the screen lit up with the image of a well groomed man with a handlebar mustache. The man's pleased expression soon wilted as he took notice of the Beowulf sitting loyally next to its master's chair. Glancing to Merlot, the doctor's expression became strained as he attempted to plaster on a smile when he realized the Doctor was unconcerned about the creature's presence at his side.

"Dr. Merlot, I see your experiments were a success," he said.

"Indeed they were, Watts," he said, giving the Grimm an affectionate scratch behind its ears. Again it made a pleased noise, the nature of which caused Watts to bristle in discomfort.

"That's excellent news. Her grace will be most pleased with your progress. She's been eager to hear your report."

"I understand completely. While I know my reports to our mistress have been few and far between, that's only due to the lack of progress I'd made in the past. I didn't want to bother her with numerous reports of slow progress and little success. Better to have either good news or no news."

"I concur. This one seems to be a significant improvement over your last failure," Watts said, glancing down at the Beowulf.

"That was no failure," Merlot shot back in an indignant tone. The Beowulf, sensing its master's irritation, responded in kind by growling up at the screen. Merlot quickly hushed it before returning his attention to Watts. "There are no failures, only progress. The Death Stalker that escaped, while far more aggressive than anticipated, rendered a great deal of knowledge for me to work from and improve my serum."

"It also managed to make its way to Forever Fall, very close to Beacon Academy, and killed one of their students," Watts pointed out.

"Eh, if you want to make an omelet you have to break a few eggs," Merlot said with no sympathy in his voice. "Regardless, the creature was destroyed before anyone could discover its unusual features. Add to the fact that they were all more concerned with mourning the boy's passing rather than investigating the creature's origins, all of which made it fairly simple for me to collect the data I needed without fear of being discovered."

"Be that as it may, you need to be more mindful with your containment procedures. If another breach like that one happen should again, it's highly possible you'd be discovered, especially with General Ironwood being in Vale for the Vytal festival. I don't think I need to remind you that we would be unable to aid you in any regard at that point."

"You have nothing to worry about. My new serum makes the Grimm completely subservient to their master, ensuring that none of them will attempt to break out of my facility unless commanded to do so. By the time anyone discovers my presence here, I'll have created an army that makes the Atlas military look like a box of tin soldiers in comparison."

"I'll take your word for it, Doctor. Keep me posted on your work. I'm sure our lady will be very pleased." The transmission soon cut out, leaving Merlot to stare up at the reflection of himself and the Beowulf.

The broad smile Merlot had worn all throughout the conversation quickly died. He detested the conversations he had to put up with between himself and Watts. The man was far too prideful, having too great an ego to see beyond the limitations he placed on his own worldly perceptions. Merlot was not so blind. It was only through his own self-awareness that he had managed to make such great strides in his work, despite numerous setbacks and the occasional upset of a fellow college turning against him. They were all fools and soon he would prove just how beneath himself they all were.

"They don't understand you like I do, pet. Their understanding is so limited, so narrow minded that they fail to see the potential you and your kind possess."

Rising from his seat, he walked down a long hallway with his new pet in tow. All along the walls were reinforced glass that looked down into numerous chambers containing Grimm of every variety. Some had undergone the same process of the Beowulf while others remained unchanged, awaiting the moment when Merlot would bring them into the fold. A few took notice of the Doctor but made no move to attempt to attack him. How or why they did this none could say, none except Merlot.

"Humanity has always thought of you as mindless creatures. For centuries it was believed that your only purpose lay I destroying our kind. I, however, knew better.

You are not mindless, you are simply without purpose. Your minds are a clean slate, a blank canvas upon which I will paint my masterpiece. Soon, my pet, your brothers will undergo the same process you have and you will all be made stronger, more intelligent, and completely subservient to me."

He patted the Beowulf affectionately, the creature showing little recourse to anything Merlot said. To anyone else it would simply be the effects of the serum overpowering the creature's natural instincts but to Merlot it was confirmation that it saw things as he did.

"Once my preparations are complete we will march on Vale, destroying anyone who gets in our way, and reclaim it for ourselves. From there we will overtake the world, bringing more of your brethren into the fold. We shall be an unstoppable force. Grimm unlike anything humanity has ever seen being led by a man of unquestionably superior intellect. No one can stop us, not even your Grimm mother."

The smile Merlot had worn returned only this time it was a twisted, vile expression that mirrored his own intentions.

"Come to think of it, if we can make such improvements to you and yours, perhaps the same can be done with humanity. Yes, we shall have to find some test subjects, those with just the right features to begin our experimentation."

Looking to his companion, who even now was rubbing up against his leg, he sighed contently.

"Speaking of, are you hungry, my pet?"

The Beowulf perked up at this question, obviously eager to taste something delectable after the arduous process it had undergone. Merlot led the creature to small confinement area of the lab where he kept specimens for "special" purposes. He slid open a large metal door, the hallway light flooding inside to reveal a young rabbit faunus girl chained to the wall and gaged. The Beowulf eyed her with obvious interest as its maw began to drip with saliva. The young girl's eyes widened in horror as hot tears began streaming down her face. She struggled against her restraints but the chains were too strong and her body too weak to break free. Even if she could she had nowhere to run or hide. She was at its mercy, assuming the creature had any.

"Enjoy~" Merlot said in a sing song voice.

The Beowulf lunged at its prey, the girls muffled screams soon overshadowed by the loud crunching of bone.

* * *

**Well that's a Grimm way to end the chapter (*cricket chirps* "Goddammit Barb!")**

**Anyway, with how my brain works I can never just take a break to focus on other things. I'm almost always thinking about what I should write next. Honestly, "Shattered Minds and Mended Hearts" may not be updated for a while simply due to a lack of things I can think to write for it. That said, I will attempt to start writing something but I'll also make updates to my other works as well. "Shattered Minds and Mended Hearts" will be updated but I want it to be something enjoyable and compelling, not something I slapped together and called good because I couldn't be bothered to deal with my writers block.**

**I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. A lot of things I wanted to put forth ended up being changed but for the better I think. We also get some parts with Merlot who, honestly, wasn't supposed to show up until later but I found it necessary to at least show he wasn't simply wasting his time. Here we can actually see he's been a very busy bee.**

**The conversation between team RWBY and Phoenix certainly changed. It was going to be a bit tenser in some parts but I felt it came out much better this way, especially with how easily he maneuvered around their accusations and explained his reasons for doing certain things. Of course, I thought it important to bring a more serious tone to it at the end.**

**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think in your reviews.**


	8. Mind Games

**Back off the holiday slump I was in and a new chapter for you all to enjoy. I've been taking more time to write, especially on long weekends. I had the terrible habit of not writing anything when I had a four day weekend and actually managed to enforce some self-control into writing more when I had the chance. I'm so proud of myself. I'll have to make it a habit so I don't neglect anything from now on.**

* * *

**Vale – Phoenix's Apartment**

Jaune looked himself over in the mirror, twisting his body from side to side in an effort to get a better look at himself in his new suit and prosthetic arm. True to his word Lazarus had provided him with a custom made suit, one that had been tailored to all of his measurements, and had even taken into account the new arm he would be sporting at the dance. While he'd never doubted Lazarus would come through on his bargain, he couldn't help but feel nervous about attending. Aside from being introduced as his guest, there was still the matter of the cover story he would have to convince others into believing.

He'd been warned ahead of time, and much to his displeasure, that he would in fact have to be introduced to Ozpin, Glynda, and even James Ironwood as a formality. The thought of having to face one of his former teachers and headmaster, not to mention one of the most powerful men in Atlas, had him on edge. From what he'd been told Ozpin was far more perceptive than he appeared, his carefree and childish antics he often used to elude the mountains of paperwork that sat upon his desk being a cleverly crafted façade meant to hide his more inquisitive and calculating intellect. Well, it wasn't so much a façade as it was the side of his personally most often seen that acted as a convenient cover to fool people into believing he was more incompetent than he appeared.

Glynda was a more straightforward and intimidating problem. Unlike Ozpin, she had no problems in allowing people to know that, no matter how skilled or crafty you may think you were, she would see through it immediately and have you suspended off the ground before you could make any attempts at escape. It was an odd mixture of fear and respect for the combat instructor that had many of the students falling in line simply from the sight of her. No doubt, if she managed to discover his identity or even suspect he was someone of less than noble intent, he would quickly find himself at her mercy.

The last problem he had was James Ironwood. General of the Atlas military, council member holding two seats, and the fact he was the headmaster of the Atlas academy were just three of the reasons he had for avoiding the man as much as possible throughout the night. While he'd never come into conflict with any Atlas military personnel, he had little doubt they'd regard him as a threat and treat him as such. Lazarus had been kind enough to fill him in on the man's less than subtle opinion of his alter ego, Archangel, and warned him that the man intended to either apprehend him as a criminal or execute him, the latter being the most likely scenario should he make any attempts to escape custody. That was unfortunate as Jaune had no intention of being apprehended by him or the Vale police.

What made Ironwood far more dangerous than either Ozpin or Glynda, however, came down to one person; Penny. From what information he'd been able to gather Penny was posing as a student from Atlas here to attend the Vytal festival with her team. If was uncertain whether the rest of her teammates knew of her true origins. Judging by their transcripts, though, they were quite skilled and effective combatants. That much made sense as Penny was an invaluable asset to the Atlas military and James would no doubt want her to be surrounded by people who were more than capable of defeating or at least holding off any and all attempts to steal or destroy said asset. What's more, with her posing as a student there was a good chance she would be attending the dance, a good chance they would meet or bump into one another. He would have to be cautious. The moment they arrived he'd need to ascertain her position and maneuver himself accordingly to keep them from meeting.

However, those three aside, he had a far worse obstacle to maneuver around at the dance. His team. Or, to be more precise, his former teammates. Granted, he'd already met with the members of team RWBY and had successfully convinced them of his alter ego but the same could not be said of his team. He had spent far more time around them, time that would have allowed them to learn more of his nuances and subtle tells. Ren especially was someone who would be able to see through his disguise with ease. Like Blake, Ren was quiet but perceptive. He noticed a great deal more than he let on. Pyrrha as well was someone who would have a greater chance of realizing who he was. Being his former partner and an exceptionally skilled fighter, his skills would naturally tip her off to his actual identity. Then there was Nora. Well, that statement alone was enough reason to regard her as troublesome.

While he considered all the obstacles he'd have to maneuver around during the night, he flexed his prosthetic arm subconsciously. It didn't feel uncomfortable per se. Honestly, he hardly noticed it was there. His problem was that it just felt sort of unnatural. Knowing this, he found a small part of his mind chiding himself. He spent most of his nights as Archangel wearing a mechanical arm which shouldn't feel at all different to this one. Yet, somehow it did. Perhaps it was due to its overall temporary purpose, much like a tissue that would later be discarded when it no longer served his motives. That aside, he still didn't see an overall need for it. Perhaps it served some other purpose, something that Lazarus hadn't informed him of. Knowing the man and how his thought process worked, he wouldn't put it past him. He'd trust him to know what he was doing, for now at least. He still had quite a few questions and the longer they went unanswered the more tempting the prospect became of severing his ties from the man altogether.

* * *

**Downtown Vale – Abandoned Warehouse – Roman**

Roman puffed nervously on his cigar. On the table set before him lay small mountain of ash, beneath which had been an ash tray that had long since overflowed. Seldom had anyone ever seen Roman light up and burn through so many cigars within the last few hours and fewer still had known of the reasons he'd had for stringing together so many cancer rods just to calm his nerves.

Roman considered himself a capable man. In all the years he'd spent as a gentleman thief he prided himself on being a man who could take control of a situation, shifting the odds in his favor and even being able to turn some less than fortunate circumstances on their heads to ensure he came out on top. Sadly, such days were long behind him. The moment he'd taken the offer given to him by Cinder Fall he'd signed his death warrant. He didn't know which had been the deciding factor that had left his neck sitting precariously beneath the guillotines blade but it was either the lucrative amount of lien he was being paid or the sensuous way Cinder had presented herself that roped him in. Thinking it through it was probably a little bit of both.

Fact of the matter was he'd been given one job and an easy one at that. All he had to do was rob local dust stores and hijack incoming dust shipments in order to build up a massive store of dust that could fuel a small army. He'd been fairly successful starting out but had quickly run into a snag. Its name was Archangel, a vigilante who had zeroed in on him from the beginning and like a bulldog took hold and refused to let go. Even the operation at the docks a few weeks earlier, which had been completely off the books for more than just himself, had been interrupted not only by Archangel but by some students from Beacon as well.

He'd started to get paranoid when those same students showed up at the White Fang recruitment rally. It came as no surprise then that Archangel had made an appearance as well, the vigilante taking quite a beating before forcefully ejecting him from the Paladin he'd stolen. He didn't know how he'd know about the external ejection switch on the Paladin and that was a major problem. Cinder was coming to speak with him personally and if he didn't have something to offer for why he'd failed so spectacularly, he had a feeling it would end with more than just the end of his cigar smoldering.

His heart took a nose dive a moment later when the tell-tale sound of clicking heels announced the arrival of his benefactor. He rose to his feet, painting on a welcoming smile as Cinder approached. While her neutral expression revealed nothing of her innermost thoughts, her eyes glowed with a fierce intensity that had him on edge. He could feel those amber orbs of hers boring holes into his skull and, if he didn't come up with a good excuse for his failures as of late, she'd soon do more than that to him.

"Cinder, what a welcome surprise," he said in a cheery tone.

"Cut the formalities, Roman. You know why I'm here so do yourself a favor and start convincing me why I shouldn't turn you into a smoldering pile of ash."

"R-Right," Roman said, his smile wilting, "well, have you heard of Archangel?"

"The vigilante," Cinder mussed, her expression softening somewhat. "Yes, I know of him. You mentioned in some of your reports of having encountered this individual."

"Exactly. That asshole has been a pest and one that's incredibly difficult to get rid of. He's somehow managed to interrupt several of my operations, the covert dust shipment at the docks and the White Fang rally to name a few."

"I see," she mussed, taking a seat at the couch Roman had been occupying and crossing her legs. "What can you tell me about him?"

"Nothing they haven't already printed in the papers. He's fairly tall, skilled, keeps most of his features hidden beneath a black hoodie aside from his eyes." Ones which disturbingly reminded him of Cinder's. The thought would have made him shutter but he repressed it. Best to not show too much weakness in front of the boss lady. "He has a prosthetic right arm that contains a hidden blade and the most disturbing voice I've ever heard."

"How so?"

"Well, for one thing, it doesn't sound natural. Some of the victims they've interviewed said he has the voice of a demon but it sounds more like it's going through a garbage disposal."

"You mean it sounds computerized," she concluded.

"Exactly."

"Hmm," Cinder said, leaning back into the couch as she thought it through. The simple hum she gave had Roman curious about her thoughts. Obviously she knew or at least had a notion of what Archangel might be beneath the mask. However, despite his own curiosity dying to be sated, Roman kept his questions to himself. Nagging her about this might earn him more trouble than it was worth. Better to wait for her to willingly give out the information than pry it from her.

"He destroyed only one of the Paladins, correct?"

"Yes, him along with some students from Beacon. Come to think of it, they were at the docks as well. Showed up just before he did."

"Then that would explain how he's managed to find us on two separate occasions."

"So, you want me to take care of these pests the next time I see them?"

"Don't be foolish. The moment four students from Beacon end up dead at your hands it'll have the entire faculty on the hunt for you. It would push our operations back months and we don't have that time to spare. Leave Beacon and its students to me. I'll keep an eye on them and make sure they don't interfere in anymore of our operations. As for you, Roman, you'll be heading down south to head our operations there.

Don't disappoint me, Roman. Any more blunders and you'll find yourself wishing you had been cornered by a pack of Beowulves instead of me."

"Of course, of course," he replied quickly. "Just one question, Cinder. Suppose our _friend_ somehow discovers our operations down there? How would you like me to handle it?"

"With extreme prejudice, of course. You'll have access to several cases of high explosives not to mention the ability to introduce him to some more evolved Grimm. Be creative. Be eccentric. Above all, be yourself."

Having said her piece, Cinder rose from her seat and sauntered out of the warehouse. Roman watched as her hips swayed back and forth seductively, the clicking of her heels in time with the motion of her hips. He took a long drag of his cigar, thinking over everything she'd told him before letting out a large plume of smoke.

"Be myself, huh?" he said aloud. "I can do that."

* * *

**Vale – Beacon**

"Hey Weiss, where do you want this? Weiss? Remnant to Weiss, hello," Yang said, using her free arm to wave her hand in front of the heiress' face while the other kept the speaker propped up against her hip.

"Huh? What?" she replied, her attention returning to the task at hand.

"I asked where you wanted this. I don't want to brag but, even with my awesome strength, I'm starting to get tired of holding it."

"Oh, sorry Yang. Right over there will do fine," she said, motioning towards a corner near the stage.

Yang set the speaker down with a relieved sigh, glad to have the heavy object out of her hands. She then turned her attention back to Weiss and was not at all surprised to find her starring into space once more. It was quite the unusual sight. Early on, seeing her like this would typically mean it was related to Jaune, her mood often reflecting the guilt she still felt for what had transpired. Now, however, her gaze was different. No longer guilty, it appeared to be more akin to disappointment and she needed only one guess to know what it was about.

"Lien for your thoughts," she said.

"Huh?"

"You've been starring into space for quite some time. Something on your mind?"

"I have no idea what you mean. I've been focused on deciding which kind of napkin we should set with the cutlery."

Yang glanced down at the two napkins set in front of her and cocked an eyebrow. They were white, as far as she could tell.

"What's the difference?" she asked, knowing all too well how her ignorant question would be received.

"There's an obvious difference, Yang."

"You sure because they both look the same to me?"

"That's absurd," Weiss chided, holding up each napkin for her inspection, "this one is pearl and this is without a doubt cream."

Again, Yang didn't see much of a difference but she decided to humor her teammate by actively inspecting each napkin. Aside from a slight variation in color tone, something anyone and everyone at the dance would overlook, they were barely dissimilar. Unless everyone attending the school dance had the same upbringing as Weiss and her family, no one was going to notice let alone care.

"I'll just take your word for it, snow pixie," Yang said, taking added pleasure in the cringe her new nickname received from her. "Besides, from the look plastered on your face, I highly doubt you were spending all that time debating about which napkins we should use."

"So now you're an expert on reading minds?"

"Nope, but I can read the mood and guess at the source. I'm willing to bet you were thinking of a missed opportunity from yesterday."

Weiss turned her gaze from Yang but couldn't control the slight pink coloration that rose in her cheeks.

"So you weren't thinking about how you, a Schnee, failed to ask a man you've shown interest in to the dance?"

"I did not fail!" Weiss snapped, her eyes quickly widening in shock and horror as she starred into the devilish expression Yang wore victoriously. "I didn't fail," she repeated, "I simply thought better of it."

"Oh? How so?"

"Well, with team CFVY on a mission, placing you and I in charge of the dance, my time would be split between my date and seeing to my responsibilities. It wouldn't be fair to him."

"That is a good reason," Yang conceded, earning a grateful smirk from Weiss, "but you still chickened out."

Weiss' smirk soon devolved into a snarl as she starred daggers at the Blonde. Yang merely stuck her tongue out playfully, taking obvious enjoyment from the situation.

"Why not just go down there and ask him. We're pretty much done setting things up here and I can handle the rest, no problem."

"It's not that simple," Weiss argued.

"I beg to differ."

"For you, perhaps, but not for me. My experience with men revolved mostly around boys who were interested in me for either my name or money, often times both. I haven't the faintest idea of how I should approach him let alone ask him to accompany me."

"Alright, I'll admit, you have a point there," Yang conceded. "But you have to start somewhere. If you don't take a chance you might never have another opportunity like this again."

Weiss frowned, more so disappointed with herself and her actions than she was irritated with Yang's persistence. Phoenix was different, that was for sure. He'd known who she was, naturally, but he'd never shown any interest beyond that. He'd been polite without coming off as fake and had even had the gal to be blunt and, on one particular occasion, brutally honest with her. No other man would have dared to cross that line for fear of what her family might do in retaliation. Yet, he'd charged forward regardless unapologetically. In a strange way she respected and even admired that. It showed a form of confidence that few men possessed without being arrogant.

"Look, if you're still unsure I'll go with you. I'll even lend you a hand. Obviously, I have ample experience in this area so it won't be hard for me to set him right in your crosshairs. All you have to do is casually mention the dance and maybe suggest that you two go together."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Weiss admitted, surprisingly impressed with how well thought out Yang's plan was.

"Of course. Besides, the worst he can say is no and I doubt he'd refuse you."

"Well, we won't know until I try," Weiss replied. Yang's smile was nothing short of victorious and the fist pump she made only served to validate that fact. "Let's finish up here first. I'd like to have things prepped and ready for me to ask him to an actual dance."

"You're the boss."

* * *

**Vale – Phoenix's Apartment**

Jaune lounged around his apartment, sipping tentatively at a cup of tea. Never let it be said he didn't appreciate the small things in life. The suit Lazarus had given him, while nice, wasn't something he wanted to wear constantly. Granted, it had felt good to wear it and he even felt somewhat important while parading around his apartment in it but the moment he slipped it off and put on some more casual clothing, he'd felt infinitely more relaxed. The suit itself was safely tucked away in his closet, protected from dust and wrinkles inside a suit bag he'd been given. With the gathering occurring later that night he wanted it to look as pristine as possible. The last thing he needed was for him to show up in a shabby and wrinkled suit.

His prosthetic arm, on the other hand, had remained attached. Lazarus had suggested he keep it on to get used to the feeling of it as he may require it in the future. While he'd assumed it would be no different than the military grade arm he used during missions, this one was much more passive in its design. At a glance, it looked like any old prosthetic you might purchase from a second hand store. It was much more doll like in its appearance, with the joints where it bent and rotated completely visible. He'd been told it was meant to allow for easy maintenance which was also why it was devoid of any nerve joints connecting it to the rest of his arm. At best he could manipulate it and even contour it in ways a normal human arm couldn't without feeling any pain but it still had limits and pushing it beyond them would undoubtedly lead to the arm fracturing or breaking completely.

Strangely enough he found the feeling of having a prosthetic arm somewhat unusual. Considering he'd spent the first 17 years of his life with two arms only to spend another year without, having a new arm seemed somewhat foreign to him. Even when he used his metallic arm during his missions he had to force back the uncomfortable feeling he had when using it.

He didn't have to dwell on it for too long, however, as a knock at his front door quickly drew his attention. He glanced towards it, silently considering if he was expecting anyone before quickly rounding on the only possibility it could be. Considering they'd stopped by unannounced on more than one occasion, Jaune was more than willing to bet lien on who it was.

It didn't take him long to open the door and when he did he was not surprised to see Yang's sunny smile greeting him on the other side.

"Good morning Phoe- Oh!" Yang started to greet him but stopped as soon as she caught sight of his arm. "You have a new arm?" she blurted.

"Yang, don't be rude," Weiss chided her. "Good morning Phoenix. Apologies for dropping in unannounced."

"At this point I would almost expect it to be uncharacteristic of you not to," he said politely. "Care to come in? I'll make you two some tea."

Weiss was anything but calm at the moment. Granted, her upbringing and tutoring had instilled within her an innate ability to maintain her composure even while under pressure, a useful ability when attending the more high-strung and boorish events her father made her go to. However, this situation was far different from those in that, not only did she plan on attending of her own accord, but she was also sitting across from the man she intended to have accompany her to the event. It was both exciting and terrifying, a combination of emotions that were quite unfamiliar to her and did little to ease her feelings.

"Sorry for showing up unannounced. Again," Yang added as an afterthought.

"No need. You've already apologized once this morning. Besides, I'm starting to think it's part of your team's charm."

"What makes you say that?" Yang asked with a cheery smile.

"Well, the explosion at the docks for example," he said lazily, causing her smile to falter. "Then there's that incident with the Atlisian Paladin. Shall I go on?"

"No, no, I think we get the jist of it," Yang said quickly, raising her hands in surrender. "We actually came here for something else."

"Oh? What might that be?"

Rather than answer, Yang's gaze shifted to Weiss. Her expression told her the ball was in her court yet despite this she didn't feel at all confident about undertaking the task before her. Things were only made worse when she looked over at Phoenix and realized her teammate's none too subtle pass had been noticed by him as well as his eyes were now on her. Weiss felt her heart plummet into her stomach, inwardly screaming while outwardly calm and composed. She could only hope the man's semblance didn't allow him to read minds otherwise she was screwed.

"Yang and I have been tasked with overseeing the coordination of our school dance," she said, choosing to set things up first before going in for the kill.

"You're having a school dance?"

"Yea, it's a pretty big deal," Yang added. "Unfortunately, with all the time we've spent working on it, we've had a difficult time finding dates."

"You two are attending without a date?" he asked, the disbelief in his voice mirroring his own expression that said _how has no one asked either of you out?_

"I'm actually choosing to go alone with some friends. I've been asked out by several guys but none of the actually looked me in the eye when they did."

"Ah, I see," he remarked with a chuckle. "They were using the brain just south of the border rather than the one in their heads."

"Sad but true," Yang agreed, happy to see he knew exactly what she meant and how demeaning it was.

"I've been asked by a few people as well though I've little doubt they sought me out more so for my name and statues."

"Of course. One of the sad things is that the politics in school and those in the real world have a tendency to mirror one another. That said, it doesn't explain why you two came to visit, aside from apologizing that is."

"Sharp as ever," Yang said jokingly. "Weiss actually wanted to ask you something. She wanted to ask you yesterday but she didn't get the chance."

She gave Weiss a wink, as if to say she was doing her job as a wingman in setting her up. Weiss scowled in retort, obviously not pleased with how Yang had handled things. Then again she wasn't doing a great job herself with most of her contributions to the conversation being subjects that beat around the bush rather than struck at the heart of the matter.

"What did you want to ask me?" Phoenix enquired, his sudden interjection causing her to jump nervously in her seat, nearly spilling her now lukewarm tea into her lap.

"Oh, um, i-it's in regards to the dance," she began. She kept her eyes averted from Phoenix as she spoke but regardless she could still feel his own on her. "Obviously my friends already have plans for whom they'll be attending with and I certainly don't care for any of the young men in attendance at the school."

"Not like you'd give any of them a chance," Yang muttered under her breath, loud enough for Weiss to hear and snarl at her in protest.

"I do, however, know you well enough to trust you."

"That means she finds you attractive," Yang pointed out. "Lucky you," she added, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Yang!" Weiss blurted, her face turning bright red. "Don't pay attention to her, Phoenix. She's just being… Yang," she said, though, despite her words, her face remained bright red. "I trust you and feel comfortable around you which is why I'd like it if you would accompany me to the dance."

Weiss' gaze was still on the floor, her nerves preventing her from looking into his face for fear of what she might see. When he didn't respond for the first few moments, she collected herself enough to chance a glance at him. His expression was nothing at all what she expected. Knowing Phoenix, she had assumed his expression would be calm and composed, his emotions every bit controlled where hers were a jumbled mess.

Instead, his expression was the epitome of the phrase "deer in the headlights." He looked surprised, astonished even, and at a complete loss for words. A couple times it looked like he might say something, his mouth opening occasionally, but when nothing came out it quickly snapped shut.

"Weiss, what did you do?" Yang asked, leaning over to whisper to her with a look of concern on her face.

"I don't know," she said, utterly confused herself.

"Maybe you broke him."

"Not helpful, Yang," she snapped.

In all honesty, though, she strangely found herself in agreement. Her request seemed to have caught the man off guard and his brain was struggling to make sense of what just happened. This was nothing like she'd envisioned in her mind. Granted, she hadn't expected him to jump up in celebration, praising the day he was asked to accompany Weiss Schnee to a formal event, but she certainly hadn't expected him to be completely floored by it.

"Phoenix?" she said, shaking his knee to regain his attention, "are you alright?"

* * *

Jaune was stunned. He couldn't believe what had just happened. Weiss Schnee, the Weiss Schnee, had just asked him out. Not just asked him but had obviously been a little embarrassed to ask him at all. Granted, he could tell she was doing so of her own accord and not simply because one of her teammates had put her up to it but because she genuinely wanted him to accompany her. It was a dream come true, a dream he fervently hoped he didn't wake from.

"Phoenix?" he heard, her voice breaking through to his thoughts. "Are you alright?"

And then he awoke. Reality set in. His hopes were dashed to pieces.

He'd forgotten, at least for the short lapse in which he'd had an aneurism, that it wasn't Jaune Arc she was asking to the dance but rather Phoenix Ash, his alter ego and the assumed identity he'd taken up upon returning to Vale. Whatever feelings of joy and elation he might have had died a painful death as he brought himself back down to Remnant. Jaune Arc was dead, at least as far as they knew. He'd have to play the part of Phoenix and, come what may, deal with the consequences of living a double life.

"I'm sorry, I had a little lapse in my thoughts for a moment," he said, playing off his surprise as if it was nothing to worry about.

"You mean you had a brain fart?" Yang asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yang, don't be disgusting," Weiss chided her.

"She's not wrong. Honestly, that's a pretty accurate description," he said.

"Oh, um, I see," she said, unable to come up with anything to respond with.

"So, what's your answer?' Yang asked.

"Hmm?"

"To taking Weiss to the dance," she said.

"Oh, yes," he said, recalling what had just happened. "I'm honestly flattered that she would consider me and I would be honored to go with you to your school's dance."

"That's wonderful," Weiss said, not at all attempting to hide her excitement. "I'll be preoccupied for the first half of the dance greeting students and guests at the door so- "

"Unfortunately," Phoenix interrupted, holding up his hand to stop Weiss mid sentence. "I won't be able to attend with you. I was recently notified of a prior engagement my employer wishes me to attend with him and, sadly, it'll be taking place at the same time as your school's function."

"O-oh, I see," Weiss wilted, her excitement quickly dissipating right before their eyes. "I'm guessing this was something that couldn't be postponed?"

"If only. No, it was last minute. Not a great deal of maneuverability on my part. However, I might be able to slip out at some point and come join you if you'd prefer."

"No, no, there's no need," Weiss answered, her tone polite but forced.

Phoenix exchanged looks with Yang, the unspoken conversation containing his concern for her overall mood and feelings while Yang's reassured him that she'd take care of everything. He nodded, knowing she could handle things. In truth, while the event he was attending would be at the same location, there was little evidence to suggest he'd be able to attend their dance, let alone with Weiss. As it had been explained to him, they'd be attending a smaller party in the VIP section used for visiting diplomats and dignitaries. Ozpin and Ironwood would be seen there but would excuse themselves at some point to rejoin their students as representatives of their schools. Phoenix, sadly, would have far less freedom to do so.

"I do apologize. I wish things could be different."

"No need to worry for my sake, Phoenix. I'll be there with my friends. I won't be attending the dance alone. I am a Schnee, after all," she said proudly.

"Indeed you are," he said with a small smile. "Well, I walk you two to the door. Have a safe trip back to Beacon, ladies."

* * *

"You feeling alright?" Yang asked after they'd left Phoenix's apartment.

The moment her request had been shot down, Weiss' attitude had become somewhat odd. That is to say, it wasn't so much odd as it had devolved back into the manner in which she'd acted upon coming to Beacon. It was as if she'd slipped on her old mask like a metaphorical security blanket simply to save herself from the embarrassment of having to accept that she'd been the one to be shot down rather than the other way around. It may have been the first time the young heiress had ever had someone who she genuinely liked give her the "it's not you, it's me" excuse, albeit not in those exact words.

The worst part was that Phoenix had been nothing but gentlemanly throughout the whole exchange. Had he acted like an ass, maybe been a bit arrogant or brushed off the dance as something immature and childish, she might have been able to say something to lighten the mood, bad mouthing him a way that helped to slide the negativity of the situation off onto him. But, no, he'd been completely courteous from start to finish. What's more he seemed genuinely interested and even excited to take Weiss to the dance. If only things had worked out differently. That's just how the cookie crumbles, she supposed.

"I'm feeling perfectly alright, Yang, thank you for asking, again," Weiss said curtly, her gaze remaining on the road ahead of her.

"I'm only asking because I'm concerned," the blonde brawler said, maneuvering herself so she was out in front and impeding the heiress' ability to progress. "You've been acting weird ever since Phoenix rejected you."

"He didn't reject me," Weiss argued.

"Call it what you will, the point is you've been overly polite and avoiding the issue since we left. You're obviously upset about it but you won't talk about it. You can't keep it bottled up otherwise you're going to pop. I'm not asking you to divulge all of your feelings to me but at least air some of them out. Let me help you relieve some of the pressure, please."

Weiss sighed, her tired mood not so much a result of Yang's pestering but more so of her continued efforts to avoid the issue. She shouldn't be upset about this but she was. It shouldn't be affecting her in such a manner but it did. She was Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. She was better than this. She shouldn't be allowing such a small, petty matter affect her in such a major way.

Was it really so small and petty, though? Sure, to her father, and the majority of the people who embodied the society she'd distanced herself from by coming to Beacon, matters of the heart were childish. Everything thing there revolved around business and politics, often times a mixture of the two. Any relationships or alliances you formed were meant to further your own goals, your own ambitions. She'd be lying if she didn't say that same could have been said of her. Her first day at Beacon included her concocting a plan to have herself partnered, or at least put on a team, with Pyrrha Nikos. Now, however, her outlook on things had changed dramatically and her heart along with it.

"It's just not fair," she finally admitted, in a small voice.

"I know. I hate that to but it's just the way things are," Yang said.

"I know I couldn't have planned for this. I know I might have had a better chance if I'd asked him yesterday but, still, I found the courage to ask him now and it blew up in my face. Even his offer to break away early and come attend with me felt cheap but not for anything on his part. It just feels like every time I try to do something for me that doesn't involve my family or their ideals, life has a way of pulling it just beyond my reach, like its taunting me."

"I know. It's okay," Yang said, pulling her teammate in to give her a warm hug. The gesture, which usually would have been rejected almost immediately, was surprisingly inviting and Weiss found herself melting into it. She'd only ever experienced something like this from her sister and that became less frequent as they grew older and she became more involved with the Atlas Military.

"I can't fault him for what's happened and I don't want to. I'm just angry and frustrated and I want to take it out on something, to have an outlet for it. I don't know why but I feel it all being directed at him. I'm terrible."

"No you're not," Yang comforted her. "You're just more in tune with your feelings than you usually are. Honestly, I think it's a good thing. It means you're not the same emotionless block of ice we knew back when we first started Beacon."

"Thanks, I guess?" Weiss said, her overall frustration overshadowed by her confusion at Yang's combination complement and insult.

"Come on. I've got an idea of how we can fix this."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we've got a dance tonight and you're going with us. Having your first rejection just before a big event calls for a shopping spree."

"For once I can say I totally agree. It may be your best idea yet."

"And just for that you're paying for everything."

"Huh!?"

* * *

Who was he? He'd started life out as Jaune Arc, that much he knew, but all at once his perspective on who he was changed dramatically. He'd been Jaune Arc, the son of a huntsman, a hero, idolizing his father and the responsibilities he had been entrusted with. Then he was seventeen and with no experience or training he attempted to get into Beacon Academy. It was about that time that his view of himself became skewed. Knowing he didn't have the credentials to get into Beacon, he'd purchased fake transcripts and sent them in. He was accepted. From then on he was Jaune Arc "The Fake."

Skip ahead a few months later and, after Cardin Winchester discovered his secret and just as quickly promised to keep it after saving him from an Ursa attack, he found his life put in peril. In one swift moment he was thrown off a ledge, dragged into a ragging river by a most peculiar looking Death Stalker before severing his arm and nearly drowning in the process. He would later awake to find that his friends and family thought he was dead. At that point he went from being a fake to deceased. My, what a turn of events.

Now, little over a year later, he found himself flip-flopping between two different personas, each one created specifically to adhere to certain aspects of his life and responsibilities. At night, when he was hunting down Torchwick or the White Fang or simply investigating the origins of the Grimm that had nearly killed him, he was Archangel. A year of hard training along with state of the art tech, curtesy of Atlas (not that they knew about it), allowed him to become a formidable vigilante the likes of which intimidated even the worst among them.

Now, however, as he stood beside his rescuer and benefactor Lazarus, he was Phoenix Ash. His cover while he stayed in Vale and possibly in the other kingdoms should it call for it. Here he was a one armed man, formerly a huntsman, working for Lazarus as an assistant and investigator when the need arose. It was this persona he was having the most difficulty with. It was this person, the one he found staring him in the face more often than he cared to recall, who caused him to question himself and his motives. The more he thought about it the more he began to wonder "when did I cease to be Jaune Arc" "when did the boy I once knew myself as become the stranger I see in the mirror?" It was a question he wasn't very close to answering and that notion alone troubled him more than anything.

"-oenix. Phoenix!"

Jaune was wrenched abruptly from his thoughts and brought crashing back to the present. Lazarus had been hissing his name, attempting to regain his attention. It had worked, albeit with more effort than he was used to. Regardless, Jaune was brought back to party and the fact that he and Lazarus had been rubbing elbows with Diplomats, Politicians, and Council members alike. While distinct in their occupations, Jaune found them all the same. Arrogant, vain, and completely behind the times. It was a wonder anything got done in their kingdoms. At the present moment he could see Headmaster Ozpin, flanked by Glynda Goodwitch, and accompanied by General Ironwood heading their way. The sight of the trio had Jaune on edge but he kept himself relaxed. Better to not let his emotions give them reason to suspect him of anything.

"Lazarus," Ozpin said in a cheery voice, giving the man a warm hug as he approached. "I'm happy to see you were able to attend."

"Of course, Ozpin. Anything for an old friend," he replied. "Allow me to introduce my associate, Phoenix Ash."

Jaune took a step forward, planting a smile on his face as he reached out to shake the man's hand. It took him a moment as he was used to using his left hand and instead used his right. Ozpin noticed this immediately, his eyes drifting to his prosthetic limb.

"Grimm attack, back when I was a huntsman," he said.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to stare," Ozpin said as Glynda gave him a disapproving look.

"No apologies necessary. The Beowulf may have taken my arm but I took its life."

Ironwood chuckled at the retort and even Ozpin allowed himself to smirk at the comment. Glynda showed no signs of amusement, evident by the stern expression she kept.

"I see you're using an older prosthetic. That seems odd considering how well provided for Huntsmen are. Have you given any thought to upgrading it?" Ironwood asked.

"James, don't be insensitive," Glynda chided him.

"Indeed. Just because you have to capability of upgrading all of your mechanical soldiers doesn't mean the same should be done to the human body," Ozpin chimed in.

"I'm only saying. He doesn't need to burden himself with such outdated technology," Ironwood argued.

"It's perfectly fine, I take no offense," Jaune cut in, if only to stop the argument from getting worse. "While you are correct in my ability to acquire a more updated version thanks to my career as a huntsman and Lazarus' contributions, this is more than proficient for my needs."

"I mean no offense, Mr. Ash, but technology as outdated as that has a tendency to fail even at the best of times. I'd hate to hear you were injured or killed by Grimm due in part to your equipment malfunctioning when you needed it most."

"I take no offense to that, General, so I'd ask the same when I say I have less faith in technology, including that manufactured in your own kingdom, than I do my own skills. I only just recently acquired this new arm for the event. Ever since losing my arm I've honed my skills to compensate and spent this past year fending off Grimm without any trouble despite my handicap.

As I'm sure you'll agree, _General_ , when technology fails it is a reflection on the manufacturer. When your skills fail, however, it's a reflection on one's self."

"Well said," Ozpin commented, hiding his smirk behind a sip of his champagne. Even Glynda couldn't hide her smile as she watched James force one of his own onto his face.

Lazarus chuckled, not at all ashamed to show his amusement at Ironwood's expense. "As you can see, James, my associates tongue is as sharp as his blade."

"So you've said," Ironwood continued.

"If I may interrupt, Mr. Ash, you wouldn't happen to know some of our students here at Beacon, would you?" Ozpin inquired.

"That depends, Professor. They wouldn't happen to be four young women who've had the opportunity to be showcased on the local news not once but twice in recent events, would they?" Jaune asked, watching as the smirk which now spread across James Ironwood's face became legitimate.

"I believe you're referring to team RWBY," Ozpin said, doing his best to hide his embarrassment.

"Yes, I'm well acquainted with them, why do you ask?"

"It was brought to my attention that some time ago a fracture had formed between some of its members leading one of them, Miss Blake Belladonna, to run away and seek shelter elsewhere. Thankfully they overcame this and have since created a deeper bond with one another, as I'm sure you've seen, though I understand you took it upon yourself to not only offer shelter to Miss Belladonna but also to help bring them back together as a team."

"I merely did what any huntsman would have done. Honestly, I would have contacted you sooner but they insisted on dealing with this themselves and I insisted on them working things out, if not to repair the damage done then to at least find some neutral ground."

"All the same, I'm grateful for what you've done. Your aid, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated."

"I agree. It's wonderful to know they have someone who cares for our students just as deeply as we do," Glynda added, a warm smile gracing her face which seemed oddly foreign and expected all at the same time.

"I'm just glad they found a way to work things out."

"They certainly had an interesting way of doing that, if you ask me," Ironwood added.

"And yet no one asked you, James," Lazarus said in retort, earning a sharp glare from the man.

"Well, this has been fun but I should return to the dance. I doubt the students have gotten into too much trouble without my supervision but, these days, you can never be too safe," Glynda said, excusing herself from the conversation.

"Would you mind if I accompanied you. I thought I might surprise team RWBY, if only to say hello."

"That sounds lovely."

"I trust you'll be able to make your way home safely?" Lazarus inquired.

"So long as my faulty arm doesn't fail me when I need it most, sure," he said, smirking along with his benefactor when Ironwood turned away to cough in embarrassment.

* * *

"Evening, Miss G, lovely to see you," Yang said warmly, her smile reflecting the tone of her voice. She was dressed in a long white dress with straps that exposed her shoulders and just enough of her bust to be tasteful. Her heels matched the dress, as anyone would assume they did. Her overall appearance made her golden hair stand out, somehow making her look more attractive than usual.

"Evening, Miss Xio Long. I take it everything has been running smoothly while I've been away."

"Well, no one's spiked the punch bowl so that's a bonus," she said jokingly.

"I should hope not, otherwise they'd find more than just detention lying in wait for them," Glynda said, snapping her riding crop in her hand as her eyes narrowed on Yang, almost as if to say she would be the prime suspect.

"Of course," Yang said, laughing nervously of the woman's gaze. "So, who's your fri- Phoenix?!"

Jaune chuckled to himself, amused at her obvious surprise at his unexpected presence. Yang didn't hesitate to abandon her post greeting latecomers to the dance and immediately embraced him in a warm hug. Jaune felt his face warm up as he felt her chest pressed close to him and focused all of his will power on preventing his hormones from reacting in turn. She gratefully released him a couple seconds later, allowing him some reprieve as she looked him over. He idly prayed there wasn't an unsightly bulge somewhere south of the border and sighed in relief when her expression showed no such discovery.

"You clean up nice. We didn't expect you to make an appearance."

"I know. Thankfully, I was able to break away early."

"Aww, you miss us that much. That's sweet," she cued teasingly.

"I didn't miss you four so much as wanted to make sure you hadn't blow anything up or somehow attracted some well know criminals to join you. You've already made two notable news appearances. Wouldn't want to make it three now would we?"

His retort had Yang laughingly nervously, especially when she noticed Glynda's eyes narrowing dangerously.

"So, why don't you two head inside. I'm sure the others will be surprised to see you. I have to stay here and man the door."

"Sure thing. I'll be make it a priority to say high to everyone."

"Save me a dance as well," she shot back, giving him a wink as he waved to her.

As soon as he entered, Jaune was accosted by the loud music and flashing lights, no doubt Yang's handy work when prepping things for the dance. He looked around, seeing quite a few teenagers dressed in suits similar to his own as well as girls in dresses of every cut and color with some being quite modest while other's stood on the border of slutty. His eyes were naturally drawn to the disheveled mop of blond hair that belonged to a certain monkey faunus dancing with Blake. She was dressed in a deep purple and black dress, one that was a little more modest in its appearance than Yang's, but nonetheless complemented her features. Atop her head she wore her signature bow, something he couldn't help but smirk at. It didn't take long for her amber eyes to spot him. Her bow perked up and a friendly smile graced her face. She nodded to him, a gesture he returned in kind knowing it was her equivalent of a hug.

His eyes returned to the dance floor once more, scanning the area for the familiar colors of white or red. They eventually locked onto a girl in a crimson dress though not one on the dance floor. She was standing by the refreshment table, using one hand to balance herself while the other held onto her drink. Jaune made his way through the crowd, the teenagers easily flowing around him, before coming up next to Ruby without her noticing his approach.

"Care to dance?" he asked.

"No thanks, I'm fine," she said, her eyes on the floor. They eventually trailed up and as soon as they caught sight of his face she eeped. "Phoenix, you're here!"

"Who were you expecting? Archangel?" he said jokingly.

"Oh, Weiss is going to be so- wah!" Ruby cried out.

Completely losing balance, Ruby began tilting backwards, her drink flying out of her hand as she attempted to steady herself. He caught hold of her arms, reeling her back in before she tumbled the rest of the way down. It was at this point he realized what had been the culprit of her fall, that being the heels she was wearing and not her natural clumsiness she was so well known for at Beacon. She rested against his chest, breathing a sigh of relief at having evaded danger, but quickly retracted back, her face bright red, when she realized how close they were.

"T-thanks for the save," she stammered.

"No problem. There a reason you're wearing heels, by the way? Not that you don't look cute in them but, if you're having this much trouble walking around then why not wear flats instead?"

"Uge, I wanted to but Yang insisted I wear them," she pouted.

"That's interesting. Ruby Rose, huntress prodigy, defeated by a pair of heels. With a weakness like that, I'm surprised Roman Torchwick isn't raiding women's shoe stores all across the kingdom."

Ruby tried to snarl but it came off as a cute pout, one that had him chuckling. Her face turned even redder from embarrassment and she turned to drown her sorrows in some more punch.

"So I take it that's a no to dancing with me?" he asked.

"Not if you want me stepping on your toes or losing my balance every two seconds," she pouted.

"Oh, come on, it won't be that bad. You could always slip them off and stand on my feet," he offered with a cheeky smile.

"What? No! I haven't done that sense I was five," she argued with obvious embarrassment. "I'm not some little kid," she whined.

 _Could have fooled me_ he thought to himself with a chuckle and quickly decided not to voice his thoughts as she shot him a disapproving glare.

"So, you seen Weiss anywhere. You'd think she'd be easy to spot."

"She's up on the balcony. She's been hiding out up there even since Yang relieved her from the door. Someone should go talk to her."

Her insinuation of exactly who that person should be was not lost on Jaune, especially when she was looking right at him as she said it.

"You going to be alright without me to hold you up? I wouldn't want to abandon you only to hear something akin to a falling tree."

She pouted and looked like she was about to saying something in retort when her heel buckled and she nearly face planted on the floor. She caught herself on the table, causing the whole thing to shake violently and disturbing the punchbowl. A few of the girls moved away, intend of keeping their dresses out of the line of fire should the next attack cause it to spew its contents all over them.

"Maybe you could help me over to some of the chairs? I don't exactly trust myself to make it on my own."

"Of course," he said, wrapping a protective arm around her waist as he escorted her to some chairs set up along the wall.

More than a few of the patrons sighed in relief once she was gone and even Ruby herself was grateful to no longer be a danger to everyone else. She thanked him for his help, promising to stay put until Yang came to get her, and prodded him to go find Weiss.

Jaune made his way up to the balcony overlooking the dance floor. Looking out over the crowd he was able to see several people he knew. It wasn't difficult for him to notice his team with Nora dressed in a strapless pink dress that was absolutely her color latched onto Ren's arm. Pyrrha was easy to spot as well. She wore a bright crimson dress, the same color as her hair, which reached down to her ankles. While modest in appearance it hugged her body, accentuating all the right areas, and made her look even more beautiful than before. It tugged at his heart to see her standing alone and he entertained the thought of going down to introduce himself, if only say high to his partner one last time. He thought better of it though, realizing how awkward it would be for her and how dangerous it would be for him in turn.

Wrenching his eyes away from his team, they quickly fell upon a familiar shade of orange, one that reminded him of Nora though he knew he'd already spied her in the crowd. He found it a little surprising then when he realized it was Penny, the Atlas military Android made to look like a human girl. Naturally, she was attending to dance in an effort to appear more human and thus ward off any suspicion to her origins. Jaune couldn't help but chuckle to himself, finding the attempt rather forced considering the robot was flanked by two Atlas MPs. Ironwood had the right idea, that much he was certain of, but his execution could use some work.

Ascending the last few steps he stepped out into the cool evening air to find the balcony's sole occupant. She was dressed in a conservative white dress, matching her hair, and seemed almost to glow against the pale moonlight overhead. Jaune felt his heartrate quicken, old feelings resurfacing as he recalled just how attractive Weiss was. He did his best to maintain his composure but found his sense of will being overpowered by his hormones. Curse the gods for this. They couldn't have made it easier to control one's emotions, especially when confronted with someone they found attractive?

If Weiss heard him approach she made no sign of acknowledgment. She kept her gaze firmly on the cityscape below, the music from the dance now nothing more than background noise.

"It's a beautiful sight. The scenery is lovely too," he said.

Weiss shook her head, the nature of his complement not at all lost on the girl.

"I'd rather be alone, thank you. You can tell your friends whatever you wish about the Schnee heiress but I have no desire to dance this evening."

"Are you sure I can't change your mind?"

Weiss' shoulders hunched, an indication of how irritated she was with the unwanted attention. She turned to regard to vagabond, her face twisted into a snarl, but quickly found her defenses shattered when she caught sight of him.

"Phoenix?" she breathed in a tone that mirrored her disbelief.

"Hey there snow angel. Told you I'd make time to come see you," he greeted.

Weiss' mouth open and closed several times as she attempted to form words but failed. Her face warped through a myriad of expressions ranging from surprise to joy to irritability and few more that he wasn't quite sure how to make out. Before long she gave up and simply starred at him, gazing at the man like this was a dream that had somehow or another come true.

"You know they're holding a dance inside," he pointed out, attempting to start a conversation if only to fill the silence that had begun to suffocate him.

"I know I just," she stopped, glancing away as she considered her words, "I wanted to be alone for a while."

"I understand," he said, walking up to stand next to her. "Sometimes it's good to be alone. I like going out and being among people but there are times I crave the solace of my home where I can collect my thoughts and unwind."

"Hmm," she hummed in agreement.

"Lien for your thoughts?" he asked.

"I'm a Schnee, Phoenix. My thoughts are worth far more than a single lien," she said with a cocky smirk, earning a laugh from him in turn. "If you must know, however, I suppose I can allow you to know them just this once. I was considering everything my team and I have gone through this past year."

"I see. That is a lot to consider. So much has happened."

"You don't know the half of it," she said in a somewhat mocking tone. "Did you know that by now we should already be into our second year?"

"The thought had crossed my mind but I decided it was above my pay grade," he said. "Does it have something to do with the young man who lost his life last year?"

She nodded, her expression wilting as any semblance of happiness quickly fled from her as she recalled the events of that year. "It was terrible what happened. When everything was said and done a lengthy investigation was launched in order to ascertain what had transpired. A lot of things like the Vytal Festival and school were put on hold or pushed back entirely. It made quite a few people angry but, considering it was the first time a student had died so close to Beacon and the city of Vale, the council allowed it."

"That seems a bit excessive. I mean no offense. I just…" he paused, thinking carefully on how to word everything, "it seems unfair to everyone else, especially the older students."

"It was," she agreed. "Professor Ozpin helped to rectify that, of course. Students close to graduating were able to finish their studies and move on to become legal Huntsmen and Huntresses. Others chose to transfer out to the other schools in order to continue their education. Some of us, mostly those of us who were close to Jaune, remained behind. It meant we'd be behind a full year but, at the time, we didn't care."

"I understand. He was your friend. You wanted to honor him in whatever way you could."

"They were his friends," Weiss said, motioning to the people inside. "Ruby, Blake, Yang, Ren, Nora, Pyrrha, they were all close to him in one form or another. They were his friends. I wasn't. I couldn't even be considered an acquaintance."

Jaune noticed something sparkle in the moonlight and watched as her form began to shake. It took him mere moments to realize what was going on. She was crying. Out here, with only Phoenix for company, she allowed her emotions to show. She buried her face into her arms, unable to bear the thought of allowing him to see her lose control.

"I wasn't his friend," she chocked. "I wasn't anything close to that. I was terrible. I treated him like dirt. He'd flirt ceaselessly with me and my reaction was to insult him. I don't know why he never gave up or turned on me. He would have had every right to. I was the worst person imaginable to him and he died because of me."

"That's not true," he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a hug. Weiss was taken aback by the action and while her natural instincts told her to pull away, somehow she found herself unable to comply. With her face pressed against his chest she could feel his heart beating and smell his hearty scent. Somehow it was soothing and she didn't want to leave his embrace. His left hand stroked her head rhythmically, adding to the feeling as she melted into it.

"You're not the worst person in the world, Weiss. You're not even close," he said, attempting to cheer her up. "I won't lie, you've done some questionable things in the past and your actions hurt people close to you. However, you've never allowed yourself to remain blind to them. You've worked hard to become a better person and it shows. You've repaired rifts between yourself and your team. You've changed for the better.

That young man- "

"Jaune," she said, her voice muffled against his shirt.

"Jaune," he corrected himself with a chuckle, "I don't think he ever saw you as a horrible person. I do believe he counted you among his closest friends."

"But everything I did to him, everything I said," she tried to argue.

"Is in the past," he cut her off. "You can't change the past, Weiss, no matter how much you may wish to. All you can do is learn from it, recognize where you made mistakes, where you went wrong, and rectify them along the way. Sometimes its easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

I'm sure that if Jaune could see you now, could speak to you, he would say he doesn't hate you. Honestly, perhaps that's why he never stopped trying to flirt with you. When everyone else saw you as the stuck up pampered heiress of the SDC, maybe he saw as something more. Maybe the young woman you've become now is the person he saw you as back then. I can't say I know for sure but one thing I do know is that he would be proud to call you his friend, even now, because I am."

"Heh, thank you," she said, wiping what little moisture was left from her eyes. They were red rimmed and slightly puffy but, considering Weiss' natural beauty, it hardly made a difference to him. "I needed that. Honestly, I've been holding onto so many things, things I can't talk to anyone else about, it feels liberating just to give it a voice. I just wish I could repay you somehow."

As if on cue the music inside shifted. The loud, bass tones became somber and slow. It was obvious that a couples' dance had begun and the soft melody wafted its way outside to the pair. Jaune jumped on the opportunity, extending his hand out to a surprised Weiss.

"Miss Schnee, would you honor with a dance?" he asked.

"I would love to, kind sir," she said, taking his hand in hers as he drew her close.

His hands drew down to the small of her back, just above her waist while hers linked behind his neck. It was at this point that she realized just how much taller Phoenix was than she, a detail that was somehow very attractive. He swayed slowly, leading her in time with the music as it swam on the air around them. With the moonlight overhead, it was a picturesque moment, one often depicted in movies or pieces of art. Neither of them thought that, however. Both of them were too engrossed in one another to register the world around nor the lone figure darting across the rooftops in the background.

"You dance wonderfully," she pointed out.

"Impressed?"

"Very. Where did you learn to do so?"

"My sisters. I learned a great deal from them, most importantly how to dance."

"They have my thanks then. It's not every day that I get to share an evening with a man who knows how to dance and treat a woman."

A cool breeze passed by them. The world turned in slow motion. It was a perfect evening, one that neither of them wanted to bring to an end. Even after the music had stopped and switched to something with a quicker beat, they continued to dance, lost in their own world occupied only by themselves.

After a while, though, their movements slowed to a stop. Neither of them said anything. Neither of them knew what to say. They simply starred at each other with the shattered remains of the moon beaming down overhead. Weiss wasn't quite sure when she noticed his face had drawn closer to hers. She didn't know if it was him leaning towards her or her standing on her toes to reach him. All she knew was she didn't want him to stop or pull away. She felt his strong grip tighten around her waist and felt her heart beating with excitement as her arms pulled tighter around his neck. Slowly, she closed her eyes and felt the warm, soft sensation of his lips caressing hers.

If there was ever a moment for the world to stop turning, this was it.

* * *

"So, how was your evening?" Yang asked, her devilish smirk hinting at the true intentions behind her question.

"It was acceptable," Weiss said, keeping her back to Yang to hide her face.

"Really? Just acceptable? Not magical or perfect, or something more concrete?"

"I don't know what you're looking to hear from me, Yang. All we did was talk."

"So you two made up," she concluded.

"That's assuming we actually had an argument that required us to seek forgiveness," Weiss shot back in an irritated tone.

"Okay, okay, sorry." Yang relented. "I was just curious. You seemed really bummed ever since we got to the dance. I just thought Phoenix's surprise appearance would lift your spirits."

"It did," she admitted. "We talked and then we danced and…" she trailed off, her hand unconsciously rising to touch her lips as her cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink when recalling the events that transpired.

"And what?" Yang asked, her curiosity peeked as she sensed something juicy attached to the end of her statement.

"And nothing that concerns you," Weiss finished with a huff.

"Aww, come on Weiss, don't leave me hanging here," Yang whined.

"Yea, tell us. Last I saw him he was headed to the balcony and I didn't see you two for the rest of the night," Ruby chimed in.

"I saw them as we were leaving," Blake interjected. "They were holding hands and looked rather content together."

"I knew it!" Yang cried, pouncing on the new information like a lioness on an antelope. "Something did happen. You're holding out on us."

Weiss glowered across the room at Blake who hide herself behind her book. "I told you that's none of your business."

"Fine, I'll just go down to Phoenix's tomorrow and ask him. No doubt he'll tell me what happened between you two. I can be very persuasive," Yang challenged, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"You wouldn't dare!" Weiss snapped with more force than expected from her teammates.

"Aww, come on Weiss, it's not like you two kissed or anything," Ruby said nonchalantly.

Weiss felt her face heat up at the suggestion and cursed herself for being unable to control her bodily reactions, again. This was soon forgotten as Yang's eyes widened and she realized all too late that the blonde brawler had been clued into the truth. Before she had any time to launch across the room and staple her mouth shut, Yang gasped.

"Oh my gods, you did. He kissed you, didn't he?" she asked.

Silence pervaded the room as all eyes turned to regard her expression. While the question wasn't rhetorical, Weiss was unable to think of an answer or excuse that would enable her to dodge them entirely. She opened and closed her mouth several times, doing a fantastic impression of a beached fish, as she struggled to find words but none came. Her hesitation cost her as Yang darted across the room and enveloped her in a bone crushing hug.

"Oh, Weiss, I'm sorry happy for you," she said.

"Get…off…me," she managed to gasp.

"Opps, sorry. Came on a little strong."

Yang released her and Weiss crumbled to her knees, gasping for air as she shot an icy glare up at her teammate. It did nothing to fizzle out the fire that was already burning and she eventually gave up trying to glare daggers at Yang.

"So, how'd it go? Give us all the details and don't leave anything out."

With the cat officially out of the bag, Weiss relented and recalled the events that had transpired. Their reactions varied, with Blake's mostly being hidden behind her book, as she took them through her surprise at seeing him, the tearful confession, his request for her to dance with him out on the balcony, and the eventual kiss that capped their evening.

Yang and Ruby cued as they listened to some of the more heartfelt moments. Blake, thankfully, kept it limited to a simple smile and nod. By the time she was done the sisters were squealing with joy and Weiss was, admittedly, proud to know her evening had elicited such childish reactions from them.

"Are you two a couple now?" Ruby asked.

"We just kissed. That doesn't mean we're dating."

"Are you sure about that? He might see things differently," Blake pointed out.

"Yea, did you ask him?" Yang asked.

"I… I didn't," Weiss admitted, embarrassed by the fact.

"Would you object to dating him?" Yang prodded.

"No but…"

"But what?"

"I… what if he doesn't feel the same way? What if he doesn't want to date me?"

"Weiss, think about it," Yang said, her tone taking on a surprisingly serious shift as she placed her hands on her shoulders. "He went out of his way to bail on a previous engagement just to come see you at our school dance. If that doesn't say how serious he is about you then I doubt he's going to be able to meet your standards."

"No, you're right. You're absolutely right," Weiss said, relieved and a little giddy. "I guess its official then. I have a boyfriend."

* * *

Jaune sat in the large armchair in his living room, his fingers tracing over his lips as his mind replayed the evening for him. He couldn't quite recall how he had made it home. Honestly, he couldn't remember anything after he kissed Weiss. Or had she kissed him? Did it really matter? The thought brought a smile to his lips. _We kissed_ he thought to himself. He chuckled, feeling giddy as a school girl. Thankfully he was alone otherwise he might get some awkward glances from those watching him.

"I can't believe she kissed me, Jaune Arc," he mused out loud.

" _Not you, she didn't_ ," a strange yet familiar voice spoke.

Jaune stiffened in his chair. He was alone, wasn't he? Then again he didn't remember how he'd made it here so someone could have slipped in behind him. Of course, if they had intended to rob him then why not knock him out and take what they could? Tensing, he waited, listening for any strange sounds but all he could hear was the gentle breeze outside.

"Who's there?" he called out, as if expecting them to answer.

No one did, of course. Steeling himself, Jaune rose to his feet and slipped into the guest bedroom. He attached his robotic arm, the one he primarily used as Archangel, and unsheathed the blade. Whoever was intruding on his home would find they'd made a huge mistake. It might take some explaining later but he was confident Lazarus would be able to help him establish a good cover story.

He slipped back into the living room, checking the corners, closets, kitchen and finally master bedroom looking for the intruder. His search turned up nothing but with each empty space he became more and more guarded, as if expecting them to leap out when he least expected them. It was only after he'd entered the bathroom and found no one there that he finally relaxed. He sheathed the blade, the rasp of metal echoing off the tiled floor. He must be getting paranoid. He was hearing noises now.

"Come on, Jaune, you're scarring yourself. There's no one here," he muttered to himself as he exited the bathroom.

" _Sure about that?"_ the voice said, closer than he expected.

Jaune froze. It couldn't be. He'd just come from there and yet the voice emanated from the bathroom. Turning around slowly he walked cautiously back inside. His eyes were instinctively drawn to the mirror where his own image was reflected back at him. Except, it wasn't him. It was but not in the way he usually looked. He had removed his wig and his face was contorted in one of surprise and fear but the image that starred back was Phoenix's calm, calculating expression.

"Who are you?" he asked, somehow expecting it to respond.

" _Isn't it obvious?"_ he asked.

"No. No, it's not possible. You're not real."

" _I'm more real than you are,_ " he mocked.

"No you're not. You're just a cover, a persona created to help me hide in plain sight. You're only as real as I want you to be."

" _This coming from a man the world thinks is dead,_ " he argued, his lips twisting themselves into an unsettling grin, " _Your friends, your family, all of them believe you're dead. They mourned for you and even now they struggle to move on. You're slowly disappearing from their lives, Jaune Arc. You're becoming nothing more than a distant memory to them."_

"That may be so but I'm still the one who's in control. I'm still the one who's helped them, who's offered them a home, given them advice and…" he paused, mulling over the fact that he was basically having an argument with himself, "and I was the one Weiss kissed tonight."

" _Was it you she kissed? Hmm? Was it you she came to ask to the dance? Was it you she looked at with surprise after showing up unexpectedly? Was it you she danced with? Was it you who's lips caressed her own?"_ The image leaned forward, his eyes boring in his own as he hissed, _"it may have been your body but it will be my name she whispers when she thinks no one is listening. It will be my face she sees when she reflects on tonight. Jaune Arc has only brought her to tears. Phoenix Ash, however, has so much more to offer her."_

"Shut up! Just shut up!" he yelled grasping his head. He wasn't real. He couldn't be real. Phoenix Ash was just a fake identity. He was the real one. He was Jaune Arc. But was he really?

" _Deny it all you want, Jauney boy, but we both know the world is so much better off with Jaune Arc dead."_

His image chuckled, his laughter growing louder, loud enough to echo in the small space. With hot tears of rage and pain forming at the corners of his eyes, his metal arm clenched into a fist before it buried itself in the mirror. The sound of shattering glass along with crumbling dry wall rebounded into the apartment. Jaune's arm quivered, tears rolling down his face as he sunk to the bathroom floor. Phoenix's voice was quiet but his words still rang in his mind, tormenting him.

"It's not true. It's not true." He repeated the words, his body shaking as he sobbed uncontrollably. "I'm real. Jaune Arc is real."

Despite his protests, somehow, the words felt like lies.

* * *

**So, that ended on a depressing note. Honestly, though, I liked the contrast I created with everyone's overall reactions to the kiss. On the one hand you have Weiss who's over joyed by the fact that the man she's attracted to have returned her feelings. On the other, you have Jaune who's currently having a mental breakdown and a crisis of identity.**

**I've been looking forward to this chapter for a while. I always knew I wanted to have a moment where Jaune (as Phoenix) became closer to Weiss and wanted the dance to be the catalyst to that. Looking back in it, this chapter actually evolved the closer it got and the more chapters I laid down. What was going to be a simple chapter evolved into this colossal epic where things are revealed and questions are asked. Things are sure to get interesting from this point forward.**

**As you can see I made an attempt at fixing the timeline issues a little. I'm not going to say it's fixed because certain events (like the docks) wouldn't actually be happening a year later. With how deep I am into it, though, the problems will just have to remain ignored. I may take some time later down the line to rewrite this after its finished and fix all the problems but until then please bear with me.**

**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Write a review letting me your thoughts. If you liked it tell me what was your favorite moment and if you didn't then let me know where I could improve.**


	9. Secrets and Confessions

Jaune sat in his usual spot at the coffee shop, staring out the window at the people passing by and doing his absolute best to focus on them and not his own reflection. Truth be told it was a little more difficult than one would believe, especially considering just how reflective the glass the shop used actually was. He grimaced at the thought and tried to ignore the fact that he saw his image adopt a snarky grin instead. He'd been avoiding every reflective surface he could since this morning, praising whatever Gods existed when Weiss sent him a message asking if he'd like to meet up for coffee and a conversation. Nothing would please him more than to have someone else to talk to aside from himself. He never thought he'd find himself thinking that thought but he did and it annoyed him to no end.

He hadn't slept much the previous night. To say he'd actually slept at all would have been wishful thinking. Every time he closed his eyes, he'd either see or hear Phoenix laughing at him, mocking him, telling him that Jaune Arc was dead. While he'd protested in the beginning, after a few hours he just found it horribly irritating. He knew he must be having a mental breakdown of some kind but, until he had a chance to speak with Lazarus later, there wasn't much he could do about it. Seeing a doctor was out of the question as that would inevitably lead to him having to create some story about who he was before and who he was now. It was all a complicated mess and one that was best left between the two of them.

" **Don't you mean three of us?** " he heard Phoenix ask.

 _I fucking hate you_ he thought to himself, knowing Phoenix would hear his thoughts regardless.

/-/

Weiss stood at the entrance of the café, checking her reflection in the glass door to ensure she looked absolutely perfect. She'd done the same thing after getting out of the shower this morning and before she left her dorm and on the ride down to Vale on the bullhead. She must have checked her reflection a half dozen times in an obsessive manner as she prepared herself for her meeting with Phoenix. When she wasn't obsessing over her appearance, however, she was suppressing the urge to squeal from excitement at the prospect of officially entering into a relationship with him. While she wanted to keep it quiet, and most of all private, she knew all too well that her father would catch wind of it and demand to know why he hadn't been informed. By that point he would have performed a thorough background check on him as well as have contacted anyone of note related or associated with him in some way. It would be a complicated mess she wanted to keep between the two of them but, for now, she would focus on the present.

Stepping into the café she glanced around, checking to see if Phoenix had arrived yet or not. It didn't come as much surprise to her when she noticed him sitting at their usual table, glancing out into the streets outside. She felt another strong urge to squeal or express her overly giddy excitement but suppressed it, focusing instead on the establishment's menu as she decided on what she should order. Something to commemorate the occasion, perhaps? Would that be too presumptuous, though? Sure, she was certain Phoenix and herself were now in a relationship but what if he didn't feel the same way? Would her beverage choice then fall flat, no longer celebrating what was supposed to be a sweet occasion? Realizing what her traitorous thoughts were doing to her, Weiss shook her head, ordering a simple coffee with cream once she reached the front. That, at least, would ensure a neutral stance on the issue. Neither good nor bad, overly optimistic or pessimistic. It was simply coffee and this was simply a friendly conversation.

With her coffee in hand she made her way their table. How odd it was now to think of it as _their_ table. Not to insinuate that they were a couple only that they always seemed to end up there. She groaned mentally, wondering if Nora had somehow stricken her with a disease that would lead to her eventually adopting the same mentality as that overly exuberant girl. Once she reached her destination, however, she focused on the task at hand, clearing her throat to gain his attention.

"Good morning, Phoenix. It's wonderful to see you."

/-/

Jaune quickly disengaged his gaze from the window the moment Weiss spoke. A warm smile spread across his face, faltering only slightly at the reminder that it was Phoenix, not himself, that she was greeting. Regardless, he kept his focus on her, on the girl he had admired, adored and chased after all throughout his time at Beacon, whom he had shared a passionate moment with the night before and even now shared a table with. Still, he found it rather annoying to see Phoenix reflected in the window, a specter which managed to keep himself within eyesight despite being nothing more than his reflection. It seemed the same rules did not apply or perhaps it was simply his mind playing tricks on him. It didn't matter. He would figure it out later. For now, he would ignore him and focus instead on the beautiful woman sitting opposite him.

"How was your night?" she asked, making polite conversation.

"It was…eventful," he said, reflecting on what had transpired and making a mental note to inform Lazarus that he would need his mirror replaced.

"Mine as well," she replied, her cheeks turning a rosy pink. "The moment I returned to our dorm my team decided to bombard me with questions."

"That may have been my fault, sorry. I met Yang at the entrance, ran into Ruby at the buffet table, and well it's difficult to escape the sights of a faunus who's also ex-white fang," he admitted with a chuckle.

"Seems we were both doomed from the start," she said with a laugh.

" **Ask her how she liked my kissing technique,** " Phoenix interjected.

Jaune glared at the reflection, ignoring his comment as he glanced back at Weiss. "So, how badly did they interrogate you?" he asked.

"As much as one would expect. Yang could barely hold back her excitement. She looked like she might die of anticipation if I didn't give her something to work with. That or she would continue to come up with outrageous ideas that would continue to escalate as the night progressed."

"Ah, so they know then," he concluded.

"Indeed."

"And their reactions?"

"Victorious, giddy, and content," she said in order of Yang, Ruby, and Blake respectfully.

He nodded along, knowing she was merely toning down their actual reactions. No doubt they would have far different reactions to him in the future should they see one another. Thinking on that, however, he wondered if that would be a good idea. Bad enough he decided to kiss Weiss in the heat of the moment but if they assumed they'd entered into a relationship things could become a whole lot more complicated. While dating Weiss had been something of a goal for him while at Beacon, here and now he saw it as something to be avoided. Not only out of respect for her but more so when considering his future objectives. There was no telling how long he'd be in Vale for and a relationship could add a whole lot of complications that neither of them would need.

"I asked you out here because I wanted to ask you something," he heard her say.

" **Five hundred lien says she wants to make you her man,** " Phoenix piped in.

Jaune ignored his comment but couldn't shake the feeling that he was right. Looking at how serious her expression had become, there was little else he could imagine it being. He felt his grip on his coffee cup tighten and a small pit opened up in his stomach. He knew he should cut her off at the pass but, somehow, his mouth and brain wouldn't work together. He felt the words forming in his mind but his mouth refused to say them. It was as if he was silently torturing himself, forcing him to listen to her fully before giving her an answer.

"I was wondering, about last night, regarding the kiss," she hesitated for a moment, biting her bottom lip before pressing onward, "would you be at all opposed to the idea of courting with me?"

" **Oh, give the man a prize! Right on the money. Course, not the exact phrasing I used but close enough,** " Phoenix cried out exuberantly.

"I must admit I feel quite honored to think you would want to date someone like me, Weiss, though I'm sure many others who thought the same of themselves were turned down by you in the past," he said.

"True, but I think I can make an exception this time," she admitted.

"To be honest, I do find you to be an attractive young woman, in more than just looks I might add. You are quite skilled, talented, and your determination to see your goals through to the end despite what others may think or tell you otherwise is admirable and something I greatly respect about you."

His naked praise had an obvious reaction on the girl as her cheeks turned a distinct shade of pink that highlighted her pale skin quite well. Jaune knew such praise was not foreign to the girl. Being the heiress of the SDC it would have been almost natural that suitors as well as their parents would have showered her with praise, all in veiled attempts to gain her favor. Such pretty words were simply a means to an end, however, and over time it was understandable that she would become disillusioned by such adoration to the point that it sickened her to hear it. Yet, seeing her react in such an adorable manner at hearing him say those same words sent a trill of excitement through his entire frame. She liked hearing him say it. She liked hearing him praise her, complement her. Were the situation different, were he still himself, he might have taken the time to bask in the moment but unfortunately such was not the case.

"It is also because I respect you, and wish the best for you, that I must decline your request," he said, the words feeling heavy as he spoke them.

Jaune immediately wished he could take those words back. Their effect was immediate and her reaction just as swift. The bright smile she had worn faltered, settling down into a frown before she quickly recovered. Her facial expressions were slightly behind, maintaining the distress and disappointment at his decline. It was her eyes, however, that spoke the most to him as the sadness that radiated from them cut him to his core. Regardless, he pushed through his guilt. This was for the best. He liked Weiss, admired her really, and wanted nothing more than to be at her side. However, he could not do that knowing she saw him as someone else and actively working to maintain what was a well fabricated lie. Sooner or later he'd slip up, she'd catch on, or something regarding him would be revealed and everything would come crashing down around him and the longer he kept it going the worse it would be in the end. Better to rip the band aid off now than fuel a lie that was liable to blow up in his face.

"Oh, I see," she said, wilting back into her chair.

"Weiss," he said, reaching over to place his hand on hers in what he hoped would be interpreted as a comforting manner. "I apologize if my actions feel misleading. If my situation were any different I'd gladly accept, I'd be thrilled even, but I'm unfortunately in a place where relationships are risky."

"So you're saying if I were not a Schnee things might have worked out?" she asked in an almost defeated tone.

"No! Gods no," he said, the abruptness of his retort causing not only her but several other nearby patrons to jump in their seats before shooting quizzical glances at their table. A sharp glare from him had them all returning to their previous conversations, however.

"It has nothing to do with you or your family name," he continued, "rather it has everything to do with me."

"So it's an 'it's not you it's me' kind of situation," she concluded.

"Had I a better excuse, I'd gladly use it," he admitted, knowing just how much worse his excuse sounded compared to her first assumption. "Thing is I care about you Weiss. I care about you a great deal and because of that I don't want you to be held down by someone like me."

"What could possibly be wrong with you to the point that you'd deny your own feelings?" she asked, her voice laced with desperation despite her usual composure.

"I'm not… who you think I am," he admitted.

His comment was enough to cause her to sit back in silence. Even Phoenix, reflected in the window next to her, was silent, a solemn almost worried expression plastered across his face. Had this been any other situation he might have taken some pleasure at having managed to cause his own mental instability to hesitate but sadly this was different.

"What do you mean?" she asked in a wary tone.

"Weiss, I've little doubt that, if you wanted to, you could use your family's resources to look up everything about me. Within days you'd know everything from my family background to my schooling, even down to the missions I've conducted and the results of my actions were you to bribe the right people. In essence, there's little if anything I could hide from you that you could not uncover.

That said, there's only so much you could learn from all that. Even if you were to memorize everything written down about me in those files it would do little to tell you of the man beneath it all. You could research my family tree as far back as ten generations discovering everything from physical traits to the likelihood of me contracting a specific kind of caner but it wouldn't tell you of how my upbringing shaped me, how my relationship with my parents and siblings molded me into the man I am today or how, despite everything that's happened, I wish I could take out my scroll and call them if only to see their faces and hear their voices once more."

His words fell over Weiss, caressing away her lingering doubts and assumptions in regards to what he was about to reveal to her. For a moment she almost thought he would tear away his hair off his face, revealing a completely different person hidden beneath, and thus forcing her to confront the reality that this man had been hiding behind a mask, quite literally in fact, and that the man beneath as compared to the man she'd come to harbor such strong feelings of affection for where two completely different people.

"You could look up every mission I've ever conducted, soak up every word from the testimonies of the victims and survivors, and come to your own conclusions of how I had grown from that experience," he continued. "Yet, you'd never truly know how those experiences shaped me, changed me, and haunt me. There are nights when I awake in a cold sweat, unable to go back to sleep for fear that I'll have to relive those events again."

At this point Weiss was gazing at him from across the table with a sympathetic look in her eyes. Instinctively, she reached out to hold his hand only to stop as he retracted his own, clutching at the empty sleeve that hung loosely at his side. It was a difficult scene to witness and she was quickly beginning to feel self-conscious the longer it went on.

"Fact of the matter is Weiss, I'm broken," he said, collecting himself towards the end. "Right now, involving yourself with me would be a mistake and that's something I can't in good conscious let you make."

They were silent for a moment. The gravity of his words sinking in, Jaune didn't know what else to say. After a moment he decided it was probably best to leave things as they were, offer his goodbyes and leave. Some time away from one another would do them good, give them time to think, and with his mission to Mount Glenn in a few days he would have plenty to occupy his mind while out in the field. Before he had a chance to act, however, Weiss broke the silence in a way only a Schnee could.

"What gives you the right to tell me what mistakes I should and shouldn't make?" she asked, her tone calm but honed to a razor's edge that had him feeling skittish.

"Weiss?"

"You think I care that your broken, that you're not like all the other men I've had to force a smile for or act polite around because it was expected of me? What makes you think I'd want anyone else but you? What gives you the right to say that my desire to spent my time with you, to foster a relationship with you is a mistake? Do you honestly think it would be something I would come to regret?"

Her face set in a scowl, her eyes narrowed as she gazed at him from across the table with tears cresting her eyes. It was obvious he'd hit a nerve, an emotional minefield of sorts, and any misstep could be his last. If he was to survive this mishap he'd need to think carefully about his next words.

"I'm not the man you think I am."

"Then tell me who you are," she demanded. "Help me to understand, Phoenix. Don't push me away simply because you don't think I can handle the truth. Let me in, please. Even if its just a little at first, let me know what it is you feel so strongly about keeping hidden from the world."

Her pleading eyes tore at his heart. More than anything he wanted to rip off the wig and tear out the voice modulator, to show her exactly who he was. He desperately wanted her to know the truth, to show her how much he respected her by banishing the lie he was allowing her to believe was the truth. Despite this, however, he couldn't will himself to and as his eyes trailed from hers to the window he watched as Phoenix's smile grew wider, the distortion from the glass somehow making it appear far more twisted than was humanly possible.

"I can't Weiss, not right now," he said, pushing himself to his feet before he could lose anymore of his will power. "I'll be out of town for a few days. We can talk more when I get back, if you want. I promise, I'll tell you more then but just not right now."

As he moved past her towards the door her hand shot out, latching onto his and preventing him from leaving. "I'm holding you to that promise," she said, her eyes fixed to the floor as she spoke. "We're not done here, understand?"

He managed a weak smile before nodding his affirmation and slowly walked out the door.

/-/

" **Well that was interesting** ," Phoenix said as Jaune made his way back to his apartment. Jaune said nothing, instead keeping his eyes fixed on the path ahead. Phoenix floated alongside him, his image flitting across the various store front windows and the occasional vehicle. " **Going with the silent treatment today, are we? A rather drastic change from how talkative you were last night.** "

"You're not real. You're just a hallucination created by my subconscious due to stress," he said to himself.

" **And yet, by that logic, that means I'm still as real as the nose on your face,** " Phoenix concluded with a sarcastic grin.

"You're only as real as I allow you to be."

" **And just how real am I then? Hmm?** "

By now Jaune was standing at a corner, waiting patiently for the light to turn and allow him to cross. Phoenix floated before him, reflected in the window of a nearby car as he posed the question. The question was a loaded one that much he knew, because it entailed the fact that he had to don the disguise upon which his hallucination was based. He had chosen to create a life based upon a lie and an identity to go with it. To say that Phoenix wasn't real in any sense was to bring into the question the validity of his own life. How real was the life he'd created here in Vale or the relationships he'd formed with some of his former friends? Were all of those, as well as the feelings he had for them, an elaborate part of his lie or were they real? It was a never ending maze of questions and perspectives, each one leading to a dead end that would turn his claim of being himself into a contradiction. The only thing he could really do was stay silent and not acknowledge the apparition floating before him. He'd have to ignore it as best he could and, sadly, that was becoming more and more difficult as time wore on.

"You're only as real as I allow you to be," he repeated, echoing it in a manner that phrased as being a sort of mantra.

" **I see,** " Phoenix said, the smile never fading from his face. This unsettled Jaune, causing him to wonder just what he, or rather his subconscious, had cooked up in retort. " **Well then, by that same logic just how real are you then? Just how real is Jaune Arc?** " he asked, chuckling silently to himself. " **By all accounts you are dead, the unfortunate victim of a training mission gone wrong. Granted, there are still people who exist who remember you, who keep your memory alive, but for how much longer? It's only natural that your memory will begin to fade into obscurity, either from negligence or a desire to ride themselves of the pain and guilt they feel at your passing. Weiss is a perfect example of that. She confessed as much to you, to us last night. The guilt she feels at how she used to treat you and at having failed to save you is eating away at her heart. Who's to say that her feelings for you, for us, for** _ **me**_ **, are not an inherent product of that same pain? How real do you think her affection for you truly is, hmm? You know, it would be funny if it weren't so pathetic,** " he chortled.

"Weiss isn't like that. She would never be so shallow as to use me simply to help herself heal and move on with her life. She's better than that," Jaune argued.

" **If that is what you wish to believe. Consider this, however. When all of this is said and done, when Merlot is exposed and you either bring him to justice or move onto another kingdom, what will she be left behind with, hmm? What image, what memory, will she have of you burned into her skull? As much as you may care for her you can't deny that you will either leave her pinning after a man who is himself a lie or loathing a boy who used her in a manner that is far worse than anything she's experience back home.** "

Phoenix's chortling laughter stayed with him as the car drove on and the sidewalk signal began to blare a warning, letting all other pedestrians know they were free to walk across. Only Jaune remained, his feet glued to the cement. Phoenix's words, _his_ words, had struck him to his core. As much as he wanted to tell Weiss the truth, to revealing everything to her and tear down this elaborate fabrication, he couldn't deny the consequences that would be devastating in the end. What's worse, the longer he remained here as Phoenix, the worse the outcome of if and when she finally discovered his true identity. It was a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" sort of situation.

Gods, why couldn't his life have been a simpler one?

/-/

Weiss couldn't quite remember how she ended up back at their dorms. Once there, however, she was grateful to find it empty and immediately flopped down on her bed. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to disappear. She'd gone out with such high hopes, such high expectations. She thought, without a doubt, that Phoenix would confirm what she had already thought to be true. They'd start dating, going out to a few choice restaurants, maybe sharing a chaste kiss here and there, before taking things to the next stage. It would all be perfect. Everything would fall into place as it should. But then, he'd dropped a bomb on her plans, blown them to smithereens, and left her questioning everything that had transpired.

It seemed that was the way things were destined to work out for her. No matter what she did or attempted to do there was always someone or something waiting to come along and thwart her plans. Back home it had been her father. His high expectations, not to mention suffocating rules and demands, had left her feeling like a prisoner in her own home. She'd come to Beacon, not only to escape her father's influence but to start a new life for herself, and had arrived thinking things would be different. In truth they had been. Not two minutes in she found herself engulfed in a dust explosion curtesy of Ruby Rose sneezing. Then, the next day, her expectations of becoming her team's leader had been thwarted as well when that same child not only became her partner but was made their team leader as well.

On and one it went, every hope, every attempt to control her destiny being thrown back in her face. It was enough to drive her insane. Then Jaune died and the world stopped for a brief moment. It was difficult to admit that something she felt she could have controlled, something she knew she should have been able to avert, had transpired right before her eyes and she'd been useless as a result. Now, when she thought things were looking up, when she'd meet a man who saw her for who she was and not simply her name or prestige, he too pushed her away, claiming she would be better off not associating with him. Of course, he did say he was open to the possibility of having a relationship with her in the future once he got his overly complicated life in order but, lets face it, that was simply an elaborate excuse on his part meant to save her from thinking he felt nothing for her the same way she felt for him.

She groaned into her pillow, wondering if this day could get any worse.

"Weiss!" Ruby bellowed, the door to their dorm room slamming open. "You're back."

Apparently it could.

"Weiss, you alright?"

"I'm fine, Ruby, just tired," her muffled voice came from her pillow.

"Did your meeting with Phoenix not go well?"

Despite how innocent the question was, Weiss silently cursed how easily her young team leader had guessed at the reason for her gloomy mood. She wanted to turn and scream at her, to throw her pillow at her face and otherwise force her from the room so she could wallow in her self-loathing. However, she'd long since matured since the days when she might have stooped to such a level and, while she desperately wanted to be alone with her feelings of dejection, a part of her wanted to be comforted by her partner and friend.

"You don't have to tell me what happened. I think I can guess from your mood. I just want you to know that, if you need someone to talk to or to just be here with you, I'll be right here."

She felt the soft touch of Ruby's hand as she placed it comfortingly on her shoulder. She couldn't remember the last time someone other than Ruby had done something like this. She knew Winter had, in her own way, shown sympathy and comfort, but such memories had faded with the passage of time and most of them had been replaced with ones of her team.

Slowly, she turned herself over, righting herself on the bed and whipping away the last remnants of her tears before recounting her conversation with Phoenix. To her credit Ruby didn't say a word, instead remaining silent as she spoke. Weiss greatly appreciated this. Being unhindered and able to speak also allowed her to unpack all of the emotional baggage along with it, somehow reliving her in the processes. By the end she felt lighter, better even, but nonetheless heartbroken and confused. She'd thought things between them had been going so well and yet he still chose to distance himself from her. It was perplexing and maddening all at the same time. Add to that the fact he would be out of town for a few days, preventing her from confronting him about this, and it made for an aggravating situation.

Ruby was silent once she finished. The young girl looked lost, like she wanted to say something, anything that might help to alleviate the pain her partner was feeling but didn't quite have the knowledge or experience to help back her up. Weiss appreciated her effort regardless. That was simply how Ruby was. Even when she was backed into a corner the young leader still sought for a way to ensure everyone came out alright. Problem was, this wasn't a situation that could be solved with a few swings of her scythe. Matters of the heart were a far more delicate matter and simply rushing into things could lead to disastrous results.

"How are you feeling?" Ruby asked, choosing to instead go with an easier alternative.

"Honestly? Angry, hurt, embarrassed, confused. I went in with such high hopes only to have them dashed. I kind of wish he had been a jerk to me, if only to make it easier to blame this on him, but he wasn't. He was kind, considerate. He was everything I didn't expect and that just makes this harder to deal with."

"Maybe. He did say he was willing to give it a chance later on, right? Maybe he just needs some time."

"Yea, I suppose you're right," Weiss admitted, though her tone held little in the way of confidence.

"Cheer up, Weiss. Yang and Blake will be back soon. We can talk to them and get their advice. I know Yang will have some ideas. Who knows, maybe after we've come back from our first mission, things will take a turn for the better."

Weiss gave her leader a weak smile but said nothing. As hopeful as it sounded she just didn't feel the same way. Regardless, perhaps some time away would do her good. With their first mission coming up, having something to take her mind off things might just help her to put things into perspective. Who knows, she might just come up with something to help persuade Phoenix to give a relationship a chance, perhaps a trial period even? Her smile broadened, realizing that Ruby's optimistic mood was starting to affect her and somehow not at all feeling annoyed by that fact.

/-/

Jaune sat in his chair opposite Lazarus as he listened to the man brief him on his mission. To say he was "listening" was an understatement as he'd long since tuned the man out the moment they sat down. Having packed the necessary items he would need for his mission and stowing away everything else in a safe place, his mind had wondered back to the conversation he'd had with Weiss earlier that day. He kept running the exchange through his head, considering how he'd handled it and how she'd reacted. Nothing about it sat well with him and he could help but thing that he might have said or done something stupid or immature that could have been misinterpreted. Then again, there might have been nothing wrong with his approach and the outcome was something that would always be out of his favor. Regardless, things between himself and Weiss were tenuous at best and he didn't foresee them getting any better. What's more, being on an all girls team and having come from a family with seven other sisters, he knew that a storm was already brewing on the horizon. It was only a matter of time before it struck.

"Do you have any question's, Phoenix?" Lazarus concluded.

"Jaune," he corrected, returning to the conversation at the tail end of things.

"Jaune, same question."

"We've been over this already. I know the plan like the back of my hand and we've prepared for any contingencies that might occur. Regardless, I doubt it'll matter much. Assuming Merlot is in fact dead I'll just be exploring an abandoned laboratory looking for any viable information that might have been left behind. However, if his is alive, there's little chance this plan of ours will survive our initial meeting. No plan survives the enemy, as they say."

"That may be but it's never a bad idea to have something waiting in the rafters should things take a turn for the worst. Speaking of, you seem to be out of sorts."

"I've been feeling a little under the weather lately, "he admitted.

"By 'under the weather' do you mean physically or emotionally? I just want to clarify because I'm still trying to wrap my head around how you could have slipped and smashed your bathroom mirror."

"What, you never slipped on the tile floor after stepping out of the shower?"

"Of course I have but I never left a fist indention in the wall that was nearly a foot thick," Lazarus shot back. "Tell me, how have you been coping with the mental strain brought on by your recent missions? That exchange you had with Torchwick at the White Fang rally must have left an impression on you."

"Aside from some bruising, the only mental impression he left on me was a greater distrust of my toaster," he replied mockingly.

"I'm being serious Pho- Jaune," Lazarus said. "Things aren't going to get better. Honestly, from what my informants have told me, things are to kick off in a colossal way. I need you here with me, mentally, to help ensure that whatever part Merlot has to play in this little game of theirs falls flat. Now, is there anything you need to tell me in regards to your mental stability?"

It was as open an invitation as he would get and, while he did appreciate his employer's overall concern for his health and wellbeing, he strangely found himself hesitant to answer. It should have been easier. Ever since his encounter with his mental projection, the hallucination that was Phoenix continuously mocking him, goading him, he strangely found himself unwilling to reveal such information to Lazarus. Why did he hesitate? What was holding him back from confronting this problem head on? Simply put, it was fear.

It was the same fear he held when considering revealing himself to his former friends and teammates. It was the same fear which had him imagining one scenario after the next, each one worse than the one before, of what would unfold when his secrets were laid bare before them. The same thing was happening now with the only difference being what Lazarus would do as a result. It wouldn't be good, that much was for certain. Depending on how bad it was, Lazarus may just scrape everything entirely, ultimately costing him what little connection he'd reformed with his friends. It was a gamble, one that he knew could end poorly for him either way. Either he revealed his cards now and dealt with the consequences in the vague hopes of riding himself of this affliction or ride it out and hope for the best despite the possibility of it becoming far worse than he could have at first predicted.

"Things have been stressful but nothing I can't handle," he finally said. "I'll be glad to have this all over with and behind me."

"I see," Lazarus replied, not at all sounding convinced but deciding to let the issue go. "Very well then, I'll see to having someone stop by the in the morning to replace your mirror and patch up that wall."

He rose from his seat, making his way towards the door before he stopped and looked at Jaune with a curious gaze. "Just one quick question, earlier you corrected me when I called you Phoenix. Any reason for your sudden desire to be called by your real name?"

"You told me before you would call me by my alias until I'd established myself here. From my reports I'm sure you can agree I've accomplished that to the point that its almost instinctual for me to react to that name. Being called Jaune while in private, however, helps to remind me of who I am. Others may think I'm dead but I like to have some reminder that I'm me."

"I understand," Lazarus said before giving him a curt nod before departing.

" **You like being reminded that you are you, huh?** " Phoenix's voice whispered into his ear.

Jaune glanced around, looking for the source of the noise. While he expected to see Phoenix's reflection gazing back at him from a window, picture frame, or even a metallic surface, much to his surprise there was nothing reflective within view. It was strange. Usually he saw him as well as heard him. Apart from his first appearance, he'd only heard his voice once but even then it had been distant and eventually led to his bathroom mirror. Now, however, it sounded as if the man had been standing behind his shoulder.

"You're not real. You have no power over me," Jaune said aloud.

" **I'm more real than you're willing to admit and my power over you is far greater than you realize,** " his disembodied voice whispered to him. " **Deny it all you want but slowly, bit by bit, day by day, you'll find yourself being replaced by me until there's nothing left of Jaune Arc. Only Phoenix Ash will remain and then you will truly be dead.** "

Jaune scowled, unwilling to listen to him any longer. He quickly snatched up his pack, filled with all his essentials, before heading out the door. He didn't bother to lock it, so focused on reaching the rally point where he could change into his Archangel guise and make preparations for his mission out in Mountain Glenn. He walked swiftly and with purpose. He'd take care of Merlot, or whatever was left of his legacy, and then he would take care of Phoenix. He was still Jaune Arc. He was still in control. Nothing would change that and certainly not an abnormality created from his own imagination.

/-/

Blake and Yang were silent as Weiss finished recounting the events of her meeting with Phoenix earlier that day for the second time. While they'd both said nothing, their expressions alone had been enough to showcase the myriad of emotions that had taken hold of the girls. Yang's usually calm, lilac eyes had darkened to a dangerous shade of crimson, an obvious sign her legendary temper was already beginning to fray. Blake was much more stoic in her appearance, an ability she'd honed over many years, but her ears beneath her bow had twitched uncomfortably at several points during her story, an outward sign to her teammates that she found the whole exchange rather suspicious. Ruby had been sitting next to her, a supportive arm wrapped around her teammates shoulders. While there was no doubt in the young heiress mind as to the loyalty of her friends and their boundless support for her, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear for what they might have in mind for Phoenix in retaliation of his rejection of her feelings.

"What happened after?" Yang asked, breaking the long silence.

"We said our farewells and promised to talk again once he got back."

"Do you know how long he'll be out of town?" Blake asked.

"A few days, perhaps longer. He didn't give me an accurate time frame."

"Do you at least know when he's leaving?"

"Tomorrow at the earliest, I would assume."

"Great, that means we have time to talk to him tonight," Yang said, a cheeky though dangerous smile on her face as she got up and stretched.

"Yang, no," Weiss said, knowing all too well what the blonde brawler had in mind. "He promised we'd talk when he got back. Personally, I'd like to take this time to work through my feelings and prepare myself for our next meeting."

"You do what you need to do, Weiss-cream. I, on the other hand, plan to get more direct answers. Besides, he promised _you_ he'd talk once he got back. He never made that promise to me so there's no point in waiting for an answer."

Yang was already out the door, with Blake in tow, before Weiss was on her feet and chasing after them. Knowing her teammates, one who was a literal force of nature and the other who's obsessions had nearly gotten her and other's killed in the past, wouldn't be hindered by any attempts she made, she instead opted to act as damage control and sent Phoenix a quick message from her scroll. Better that he knew a storm was coming than to have him be caught unawares. Somehow, despite their good intentions, Weiss knew this would only serve to hamper her relationship with Phoenix. She could only pray to any deities listening that chose to talk first before opting for more aggressive negotiations, Yang especially.

The bullhead ride and subsequent walk down to his apartment gave Weiss ample time to come up with some sort of excuse to tell him why they'd decided to show up on his doorstep at such a late hour. Unfortunately, considering what had just transpired between the two of them earlier in the day she doubted her excuse would hold up when confronted with four girls, two of whom would no doubt look like they were out for blood. She nearly fainted from relief, however, when they rounded the corner, bringing his home into view, and saw that the place was completely dark and perhaps even devoid of life. Her team were unperturbed by this fact. On the contrary, it seemed to only spurn them on as they stalked towards the house, positioning themselves to be able to overtake Phoenix at a moments notice should he attempt to escape through a window or back door.

"Phoenix, you home?" Yang called loudly, banging on the door. "We're not going to hurt you. We just want to talk."

"Very reassuring Yang," Blake commented in a sarcastic tone.

"I don't think he's home," Ruby said, cupping her hands around her face as she attempted to peek inside.

"He did say he was leaving fairly soon. I wouldn't be surprised if he had to leave tonight to be there early," Weiss said, less concerned now with Phoenix's reaction to their assault on his home and more so of the opinions of his neighbors who no doubt found their presence rather suspicious.

"I don't buy it. He could simply have turned out the lights and hide somewhere in back hoping we'd leave," Yang pointed out. "I say we call his bluff."

"Are you seriously suggesting we break into his home?" Weiss accused.

"I wouldn't exactly call it breaking and entering when the front door is unlocked," Blake pointed out, pushing the door gently as it opened to reveal the darkened foyer.

"Well that's not ominous," Yang commented.

"You think he left it unlocked on purpose?" Ruby asked.

"I doubt it. He must have forgotten about it when he left which would give credence to Weiss' assumption that he's already on his way out of town."

"Well then, I take it as a I sign that we have an open invitation to look around and find out what he's hiding."

"Yang Xio Long, you cannot seriously be suggesting we snoop around his home? Breaking and entering is one thing but invasion of privacy is something else entirely."

"We're not really snooping, snow angel. We're investigating. Besides, we've been inside his home on more than one occasion with one of us even having an extended stay here," she said, glancing at Blake who immediately hide her embarrassment behind a cough. "Besides, I don't trust his weak excuse. I know he's hiding something and I intend to find out."

"Don't expect me to help you in committing a felony," Weiss said obstinately.

"Fine, then stand out here on guard while we take a look around."

Yang didn't wait for Weiss to comment before she headed inside, turning lights on as she went. Outside, Weiss could see rays a light beginning to emanate from the windows and not all of them part of Phoenix's home. Knowing just how bad it would look if someone as recognizable as herself was seen this late at night outside a stranger's house, she quickly lunged inside before slamming the door shut behind her, praying that there were no paparazzi outside who just so happened to snag a quick photo of her. It would be just her luck to see someone at Beacon the next day reading some tabloid trash with her picture on the front.

"Glad you could join us," Yang mocked her with a cheeky smile.

"I just want you all to know that if his neighbor's call the police, I'll leave you all in your jail cells overnight," she threatened.

"Don't sweat it, it's not like we're here to steal anything. We're just going to have a quick look around, look for any incriminating evidence, and then head back to Beacon."

The easy way in which Yang said all this gave Weiss the uneasy suspicion that the blonde brawler had done this once before. She wouldn't be surprised if she'd snuck out her window once or twice to run off to some party but sneaking into another person's home to obtain blackmail material was something else entirely. Even if they did find something, once they confronted Phoenix with it the subject of how they'd come to obtain it would arise just as quickly, leaving them in a precarious position. As much as she had found his reasons for refusing her advances peculiar she silently hoped they didn't find anything at all.

"Looks like Weiss was right, Phoenix left quite some time ago," Blake said as she picked up a teacup from the table. "It's cold, meaning he left long before we arrived."

"Check the second one for lipstick."

"You think he was meeting with a woman?" Ruby asked.

"Well, if he was she doesn't wear lipstick or lips gloss for that matter," Blake replied.

"Nothing?" Yang asked, surprised.

"As clean as you might expect. I can't even smell any perfume."

Weiss allowed a small smirk to grace her lips. Of course Phoenix wouldn't have any other women here. If he did no doubt she'd be the first to know. The moment this thought crossed her mind, however, she found herself reprimanding herself. Why did she sound like it should be natural for her to know everything going on in his daily life? Sure they were close, but not close enough to warrant her knowing what happened between himself and others behind closed doors. Still, the fact that there was little to no evidence of him having been in the company of a woman did give her a sense of relief. For Yang, on the other hand, it only spurned the girl onwards, as if her pride had been challenged.

"Just because he's smart enough not to leave any evidence out in the open doesn't mean he's not hiding it elsewhere," she said, glancing around the room. It didn't take long for a door on the other side of the room to catch her eye. "Hey Blake, when you were here where did Phoenix sleep?"

"In the guest bedroom," she said, following Yang's gaze, "which is that door right there."

"A perfect place to stash away anything he might want to keep out of sight," Yang said, rubbing her hands together as she approached the door.

"Yang, what are you doing?" Weiss hissed.

"Just a bit of light snooping. Chill, ice-queen. If he has nothing to hide, then there's really no harm in me checking things out."

"I beg to differ," she said, growling in protest but otherwise doing nothing to stop her, not that she could even if she tried.

Yang ignored her, taking hold of the brass knob as she opened it and peering into the dark room. Feeling around the wall she managed to find the light switch and immediately flicked it on, illuminating the room in a brilliance of white. The moment the darkness was dispelled and her eyesight adjusted, a small gasp escaped her as she gazed upon the sight that greeted her.

"Oh my gods."

/-/

Jaune jumped from the bullhead as it hovered some twenty feet over the ground, landing with ease and taking a moment to quickly assess his surroundings. With very few areas large enough to enable the bullhead to properly land, they had instead opted to find a place where it would easily fit while also putting them as close to his destination as possible without raising an alarm. As the airship took off back to Vale, Jaune was pleased to see he was relatively alone and that there wasn't a Grimm in sight. That might change within the next few moments, however, and he quickly made his way to a nearby building that had several of it's upper floors still intact.

Aside from giving him a vantage point over the immediate area, it also gave him a safe place to change out of his Phoenix guise and into Archangel. Opening up his bag he found all of the necessary items and accessories he'd packed waiting for him and he quickly got to work getting changed. The more difficult parts came in the form of his new contact lens and ear piece. The lens themselves had tiny cameras built into the lenses meant to ensure Lazarus had a front row seat to everything he saw. While he'd been assured they would be pain free, Jaune couldn't help but feel skeptical about that guarantee, especially with how uncomfortable they felt sitting on his eyes. Thankfully, this would be one of the few missions that necessitated their use, making his discomfort temporary. Once the earpiece was shoved him, something which felt equally weird with just how deep into his ear canal he needed to press it, he quickly set up the connection through his scroll. Before establishing a link between himself and Lazarus, however, he noticed a notification of a message he'd been sent by Weiss not too long ago. He hesitated for a moment, considering opening to see what she wanted, but ultimately chose to ignore it. Whatever it was it could wait. He'd promised to talk with her upon his return to Vale and for now he needed to focus.

" _I see you've made it to Mountain Glenn uninterrupted,_ " Lazarus' voice echoed in his ear.

"As well as can be expected. I've been here nearly ten minutes and haven't encountered any Grimm. While I'd like to count my blessings, I think it best we move on before karma catches up with me."

" _Agreed. I suggest we start heading towards the facility. I'm sending a map to your scroll now. Keep in mind, the deeper you go into Mountain Glenn, the more difficult it will be to maintain a connection with you. Visual and audio communication shouldn't be hindered too much but the signal from the CCT tower drops at some point so take note of any landmarks to help you on your wake back to the EZ."_

"Understood, I'm on my way now."

Stowing his bag in a safe place, Jaune began the long journey towards his new destination. He knew his things would be safe while he was gone. The risk of scavengers finding them was less than null as no one, apart from huntsmen, would have the training required to survive out here. The Grimm also wouldn't take much interest in it. Unless he was there to give off an aura of negativity, the worst thing that could happen would be for the building to collapse. Hopefully it didn't come to that while he was away.

His journey took him nearly an hour. Getting as close as possible in the bullhead didn't mean he'd be right on top of it and the sun was just beginning to rise as he came upon what appeared to be an abandoned parking garage set against an office building. He walked down into the garage itself, taking precautions should there be any Grimm nearby. Thankfully there weren't and, surprisingly, hadn't been any along the way. While most days he'd consider this a blessing, the overall lack of their presence was rather suspicious. No doubt he'd have to find the answers inside the facility itself. The map led him to a large set of metallic doors, several feet thick from the look of them, and accessible only through a busted keypad off to the side.

"I've arrived but, as you can see, the keypad is out of commission," he said.

" _Excellent. Do you have the new toys I gave you?_ "

"Of course, I never leave home without them."

" _Good. There should be a device that has a small screen with a key pad and a couple of nodes on top. Take the blue wire and attached it to the left node and the red wire should go on the right._ "

Jaune did as he was told, taking the device itself from his pocket and carefully attaching the wires. Despite the general lack of power all over the city, the fact that he was handling wiring of any kind still left him feeling nervous. As soon as he was done he turned the device on and pressed a large green button on its face. Immediately, numbers began flashing across the screen as it ran through several combinations before finally settling on a distinct set. He nearly jumped out of his skin when sparks erupted from the console before a slight pause and then the loud creaking of the doors as they receded into the wall.

" _Open sesame_ ," Lazarus said from his other end.

"Very funny," Jaune replied, gazing into the dark hallway tat greeted him. Taking in a deep breath he coughed as he inhaled the stale air that receded from the entrance. "You sure this place is in use? It seems fairly out of service from my point of view."

" _Not so much out of service as it is rarely used. The fact that the keypad worked at all tells me its receiving power from somewhere which means its being powered by a generator._ "

"I take it this generator isn't something that should still have enough juice to power this machinery after all this time?"

" _Unfortunately, no. Though it would have lasted quite some time, even when not in use the power would have faded out long ago. No, someone is actively using it otherwise we would have had to find an alternative route inside._ "

"Great, so I take this is confirmation that he's here?"

" _That or one of his subordinates. Stay on guard, though. No doubt opening this door has alerted him to your presence. He'll be looking for you. I suggest moving in quickly and finding a security terminal you can hack into. At best you might be able to slow them down a bit._ "

"Right, well I better get started before they send the welcoming party," he said and quickly moved inside.

/-/

"It's empty," Yang said.

True to her words the room was completely bare aside from the usual aesthetics of carpeting, windows, and a small closet off to the side. Weiss silently admitted that she was as confused and perplexed by this new found revelation as they were. While she hadn't expected the room to be filled with incriminating evidence or some incredible secret he'd been hiding from them, she at least expected there to be something more in the way of furniture and décor. To find that the room was empty, however, and the guest bedroom at that made no sense to her. What's more, why would he choose to sleep in here when he offered Blake a place to stay? Wouldn't the couch have much more comfortable and preferable?

"Maybe there's something in the closet?" Ruby suggested.

"Good thinking, sis. Boys always have a tendency to hide their deepest, darkest secrets in there."

"And just what are you expecting to find? The room's reveal was already anticlimactic, what more could he possibly be hiding in his closet?" Weiss asked, annoyed.

"His porn stash," Yang answered blatantly.

Weiss spluttered, her face turning red at the implication. "Yang Xio Long, have some decency! Phoenix is far too civil a man to stoop to the level of collecting pornography."

"Hey, I'm just saying. Everyone has needs and their own way of achieving them. Blake has her racy books and boys have porn mags."

"My books are not racy!" Blake snapped. "They're legitimate literature meant for more mature audiences," she argued.

"Emphasis on mature," Yang said in retort, waggling her eyebrows suggestively as Blake's face began to resemble Weiss'. "Now, show mama the goods," she said, ripping open the closet door in a grand reveal.

A bare closet starred back at her, whatever secrets it might have held proving to be nonexistent. The only thing missing was a lone moth fluttering out as if to add insult to injury against Yang's ego. The closest itself, while small, was still roomy enough to house a number of items. As it stood, the only items that could be seen was a light sprinkling of dust and a single bedroll carefully folded up and stowed away.

"You were saying?" Weiss asked in a caustic voice.

"What the hell? Where are the secrets, the incriminating evidence, the porn magazines? Why the hell is there only a bedroll in here?" She asked, frantically searching the threadbare closet.

"Well, he was from Mistral. It would make sense that he'd have a bedroll. I hear they're quite common in some households," Weiss said with a victorious smirk.

"Dammit, I was expecting something, anything," Yang grumbled.

"Well, when you think about it, this is only the guest bedroom. Why keep his personal belongings here when it would make more sense to keep them in the master bedroom?" Blake pointed out.

"That's it! We've been looking in the wrong place the whole time. Come on, we have one more room to check," Yang announced as she marched across the hallway to the other room.

Weiss shot Blake a scathing look, one which showed how displeased she was at her having given Yang more ammo to work with before heading out to cut Yang off at the pass. The faunus shrugged off the look, completely unfazed by her teammates ire, and made to follow after them when something on the carpet caught her eye. Gazing down she noticed a small part of it sticking up against the inside of the closet wall. It wasn't much, not enough to be suspicious, but the fact that a faint line could be traced along the sides had her attention. Most contractors would have ensured the carpet meet the wall, sealing it against it to make sure it stayed firm. It could also have been frayed from age, the constant use causing it to loosen and come undone. She suspected otherwise, however, and whether it was curiosity or paranoia, she was tempted to reach out and pull it back, if only to see if it was more than what it appeared to be.

"Blake, what are you doing? We need your help," Yang shouted from across the room.

"Coming," she replied, sparing one last glance at the carpet before shrugging and walking over to join her partner. "What's up?"

"We just need an expert. Considering you've spent more time here than any of us, I figured you might know the best places to start looking," she said with a cheeky smile.

"Don't press your luck, Yang. All I did was sleep in his bed while fighting off a cold, nothing more."

At the mention of a bed Yang glanced over the queen sized one sitting next to her. She then glanced back at her partner, he eyes wide with surprise. "You slept in his bed?" she asked.

"It's not like that and you know it," Blake growled, knowing exactly what the blond was insinuating.

Weiss ignored their banter, knowing it was merely Yang's way of getting a reaction out of her partner. With Ruby glancing through his closet, which she was pleased to see was very well kept and organized, she instead made her way to the bathroom. While she didn't expect much she could at least see what products he used and perhaps gain an idea of what sort of gift to give him upon his return. She could at least use it as a peace offering and maybe even a bribe to help him reconsider a relationship with her.

The bathroom itself was quite dark, having no windows to speak of, and with only the light from the hallway illuminating the bedroom it was difficult to make out anything. As she searched the wall for the light switch she felt something hard beneath her foot and heard it crunch under her heel. She recognized it as glass, something she considered odd but summed up to a cup having fallen off the sink and onto the floor while he was away until she flicked on the lights. A loud gasp escaped her lips as the room was illuminated for her. Her reaction caught the attention of her team all of whom rushed to join her and gazed upon the bathroom with mixed reactions.

"What the hell?" Yang breathed.

Glass littered the floor around Weiss' feet, the remnants of the mirror from which it had originally been a part of clutching desperately to the wall. That might have been explained away easily enough were it not for the sizable hole that was dented into the wall itself where the mirror had once stood. It was a scene that echoed of aggression, anger, and rage having been unleashed all at once but by whom and for what reason no one could truly say. Sure, this place being Phoenix's it might have been easy enough to shift the blame onto him but then that brought with it a myriad of questions as well.

"What happened?" Ruby asked.

"An accident?" Weiss said, attempting to explain it though, even as she said it she found it difficult to believe herself.

"An accident? You want to label all of this as an accident?" Yang asked, motioning to the dented wall and shattered mirror fragments.

"It's the best explanation I could come up with given the circumstances," she argued.

"Are you sure about that because I think I could come up with something closer to home especially with how everything looks."

"I think you're exaggerating things a little too much," she shot back in retort.

"Weiss, there's a crater in his wall and mirror shards all over the floor," Yang pointed out, causing the heiress to wince, "unless he got up this morning and really hated the image he saw reflected in the mirror, something else happened, something he hasn't told you."

"Well maybe he hasn't told me, or anyone else for that matter, because it's none of our business."

"Are you sure about that because from the way things look your perfect gentleman is much more aggressive than he puts on and not in the good way."

"This coming from the girl who was actively encouraging me to pursue a relationship with him," Weiss snapped.

"That was before I found out he's been using his bathroom wall as a punching bag," Yang snapped back.

"Enough, both of you!" Blake said, pushing them away from one another. "Look, we don't know anything definitively. Yes, it looks bad. Yes, we don't know what really happened and the fact that we're in the dark about this is a little disconcerting but I'm sure if it was any of our business he would have told us. Besides, regardless of who encouraged whom to pursue a relationship with him, Phoenix still shot Weiss down. From what I can see his explanation as to why is starting to make sense. Perhaps these aggressive tendencies of his have prevented him from pursuing relationships in the past and, out of respect and a desire to keep her safe, he refused Weiss in order to protect her. Regardless, we don't know nearly enough to start making assumptions and personally I think we should start making out way back to Beacon before the neighbors decide to call the cops on us."

Both girls were silent by now. Blake had made a fairly good point and, while both wanted to look around to see if they could find out what had caused this incident, neither was willing to jeopardize their careers as huntresses over a presumed breaking and entering charge. Making sure to leave everything as they'd found it, the girls soon left the apartment and made their way back to the school. No one said anything on the trip back. No one knew what to say. What had started as a mission to ascertain the truth had ended with more questions but collectively frightened as to what they might learn as a result.

/-/

Despite the lateness of the hour, Weiss was having a difficult time falling asleep. It wasn't due to Zwei, curled up at the foot of Blake's bed and thrashing his tiny legs as he chased after some imaginary rabbit nor was it due to Yang snoring so loud she could have been mistaken for a chainsaw. No, it was due to the fact, no matter how hard she tried, every time she closed her eyes the image she'd seen in Phoenix's bathroom rose to the surface of her mind, leaving her feeling anxious and even a little frightened. Part of her had wished that they had found porn magazines instead. That at least was a forgivable offense and one she would ensure never see the light of day again. Instead she'd been greeted with a scene that had her thinking of home and the harsh treatment she'd received at the hand's of her father shortly after he sister Winter joined the military, shifting the responsibilities of being an heiress onto her shoulders.

What had caused it, though? The impact was deep and certainly required a great deal of strength. Yang could accomplish the same thing but that was something she'd trained for. Heck, the girl could smash her way through a concrete wall if she felt like it. What's more it looked as if he'd done it with his artificial hand. Call it speculation but she'd noticed that Phoenix appeared to be right handed, despite having trained himself to be ambidextrous, as he'd favored it the night of the dance. Had it been something she'd said or did that had been the catalyst? No, the way he'd spoken to her today suggested he blamed himself, not her, so it was more likely a personal issue.

She rolled over, gazing out their dorm window and up towards the shattered moon which orbited Remnant. She wished she knew what was going on. If she did then she might at least be able to offer him some help. Revealing what they'd discovered to him, however, was a very bad idea. It would no doubt illicit feelings of distrust, not only from her but from him as well. Still, she couldn't keep quiet about this forever. Sooner or later something was going to give and the aggression which had taken itself out on his wall may find a new target at some point.

"Gods, why does everything have to be so complicated?" she grumbled.

* * *

**Currently at my family's house visiting them. With all the time I'm taking for myself to relax before I take a more extended work trip in the future, I thought I'd give myself an excuse to finish this latest chapter. With the way I ended the previous one I wanted to expand upon the Jaune/Phoenix dynamic more and show how it's affecting him. I think it'll help to spice things up, especially now that he has a new voice in his head, ironically one of his own creation.**

**The next few chapters will focus on Mountain Glenn and the events that transpire there. Archangel and Team RWBY will run into one another which should add for some interesting reactions once they reveal that they know who he really is, to a certain extent. I'm excited to start working on it but if my business trip should prevent me from working on that I'll be sure to update my profile page. Better to let everyone know that things will be coming to a halt for a time rather than wondering what the hell happened.**

**On a side not, my father asked if I'd like to record myself reading one of the stories I've made in an effort to test out his recording equipment. I'm going to be reading one of my short stories so, once that finished and he sends me the MP3 I'll be sure to post it so you can all have a listen. I'll update my profile page once it's finished. I look forward to seeing what you all think. If it goes well I may look into doing it for my other stories. I might even start a account and charge $1 for anyone who wants to listen.**


	10. Mountain Glenn

Jaune wasn't quite sure what he had expected to find once he'd entered the facility. Endless amounts of comic books and movies had left him the expectation that he would be walking into a large room filled from top to bottom with numerous machines of varying degrees, mounts of books and papers, and a literal sea of beakers and test tubes all filed with a rainbow of liquids either bubbling or smoking to some degree. The reality was, to be honest, a little disappointing but somehow the veritable lack villain lair archetype just made it all seem that much creeper.

For a long while he simply walked down an empty corridor, his egress never impeded by security personnel or automated defense systems of any kind. He still kept his guard up regardless, jumping at every noise and shadow along the way. He knew he was overreacting but, being in unfamiliar territory, he assumed the moment he relaxed Merlot would spring his trap, ensnaring him in a similar manner to that of the eight legged arachnid Grimm did. Before long the corridor ended at a rusted door, one which hadn't seen use in quite some time and sounded like it too as it creaked so loud when he shoved it open he half expected half the facility to be placed on alert. Still, no alarms sounded and no one appeared to oppose him. It should have made him feel safe.

It didn't.

" _You'll want to take a right up ahead. There'll be a research center along that route with a terminal you can access to give us a better understanding of the state the facility is in,_ " Lazarus' voice came through the earpiece Jaune had shoved in.

"You seem rather familiar with the layout of this place," Jaune pointed out.

" _Merlot and I were colleges once upon a time, as you know. We worked together in places just like this. The exterior may be unique to their Kingdom's culture but the interior is almost cookie cutter in its design._ "

Jaune nodded, the action more instinctual despite the fact that Lazarus' wasn't there in person but more so a voice in his ear. True to his words the corridor split off towards the end and he took the right hand divergence, following it past a series of rooms along the way to his destination. Gazing into each of them he noticed several empty laboratories. Each one was reminiscent of the science labs back at Beacon, a staple he figured was transferred over to maintain the sense of familiarity as well as the fact that it was a design that simply worked well. The rooms were empty with a few still containing broken glass or exposed wires amongst the layers of dust and cobwebs, the only evidence to suggest what sort of equipment might have been housed there.

He kept his eyes open for one that looked like it might have the computer terminal he was looking for and stopped when he came upon a room that was drastically different from the others he'd seen. Devoid of desks and lab tables, these instead had a large portion sectioned off with steel bars, the insides if which had long chains attached to collars, most of which had rusted from age. While it would have been easy enough for him to assume they'd housed animals, the height at which the chains were attached to the walls suggested otherwise. A cold feeling ran through him as his mind conjured up images of what had really been housed within these cages.

"Lazarus?"

" _I know what you're going to ask Jaune. Yes, there were people in these but, rest assured, their stay here was voluntary._ "

"I don't recall voluntary stays at medical facilities requiring their patients to sleep in cages while chained to the walls," Jaune said in retort.

" _No, we had dorms set aside for them. These facilities, however, were for some of the more aggressive specimens._ "

The fact that he had changed his description from volunteers to specimens caused his stomach to roil in disgust. "Care to elaborate?"

" _Tell me Jaune, did any of your classes at Beacon cover material regarding the percentage of Remnant currently under humanity's control?_ "

"Yea, if I remember correctly it was somewhere around 5%, more or less, but that doesn't answer my question."

" _I'm getting to that. That 5% you're told about is made up of the four major Kingdoms, along with Menagerie, and some room for error regarding human settlements outside the kingdoms that will occasionally pop up, relocate, or disappear due to the Grimm. 5% of this planet is ours, Jaune. 5% is all we've managed to scrap by with, to maintain a grasp on while the Grimm roam around the other 95% unchallenged. That's a great deal of land we desperately need. Despite the safety and stability offered to us by the walls of the Kingdoms and their armies, there are still elements of humanity that they can't combat with Huntsmen or keep back with strong walls. You know what that threat is? It's over population. With only 5% of the total landmass under our control that means we have only enough room to house that same number of people within our sphere of influence, no more no less. Once you start exceeding that, well, you have to start looking for alternative options._

 _Mountain Glenn was one of those. Originally, it was meant as an expansion of Vale's territory. Twenty years ago, when the city was close to bursting with people, the council green lite a project that was meant to solve that problem. By creating an adjoining city that was independent of Vale but still within its reach of protection and control they would solve one problem and perhaps start working towards solving others, such as the rising need for more Huntsmen._ "

"I'm guessing from the ruins I saw outside things didn't go as planned."

" _No, though, the worst part was that Mountain Glenn's fall acted as as a Grimm solution to one of greatest problems, if you'll forgive the pun._ "

"You can't be serious," Jaune hissed, putting the pieces together.

" _I wish that I wasn't but it's true. With the fall of Mountain Glenn came a massive decrease in population. Where things had once been cramped in Vale, people started to find themselves with a great deal more breathing room._ "

"That's- "he hesitated, shaking with anger at the thought of how so many innocent deaths could somehow come with a silver lining. "Tell me everything. I want to know what happened, why it happened, and most importantly what this facility was originally meant for."

" _I'll fill you in on all I know but in the meantime I suggest you continue on towards the terminal. I'd rather you not waste time sitting here listening when Merlot could be sending a team to investigate your presence._ "

Jaune sparred a glance back towards the room, wondering for a moment what exactly had gone on here and how much involvement Lazarus had a hand in, before forcing himself to move. "I'm listening."

" _With the approval for the construction of Mountain Glenn also came opportunities to begin looking into alternative means of combatting the Grimm as well as ways of improving our ability to survive their onslaught. Once this facility was complete, experts from all over Remnant were invited to begin working here. Merlot and I were two of those who were given free reign over our own departments. My department focused on ways to enhance our huntsmen's fighting capabilities, be that in weaponry or physical and mental enhancements, while Merlot's focused studying the Grimm and alternative ways of combating them._ "

"No offense Lazarus but that sounds like a load of bullshit. Everyone knows it's nearly impossible to capture live Grimm, let alone contain them, and those cages back there weren't created with Grimm in mind."

" _I'm well aware of that fact Jaune, let me continue. During my time here I began experimenting with mechanical enhancements, ones not unlike the artificial limb you're currently using but worn on the outside. The theory was it could be worn like armor and used not only to improve your defensive capabilities but your overall strength and reflexes. In other words, it was a suit meant to enhance you and make you an amalgamation of man and machine. My work in this area ensured I'd be surrounded by like minded individuals, one of whom was a certain Dr. Polendina._ "

"Polendina? You mean the man who made Penny?"

" _The very same. While my efforts here didn't bear much in the way of fruit for my initial applications, they did pave the way for other areas of research that eventually led innovations into artificial limps, the creation of the Atlisian Knights, and, as I suspect, the creation of an artificial life form otherwise known as Penny. Of course, while my research focused on machinery, others focused on chemical alterations. Some believed it might be possible to take all the requirements needed to be a huntsmen and compress it into a pill, one that could be taken and used to improve the body from the inside._ "

"How well did those turn out?" Jaune asked, half joking.

" _The lucky ones died instantly from the immediate chemical imbalance introduced into their systems. The unlucky ones endured a great deal of physical and mental tortures before their suffering was finally brought to an end. None survived the processes._ "

Jaune came to a halt, the sudden reveal smacking him in the face. It was a difficult pill to swallow, especially considering just how close it was happening to Vale. Suddenly the threat of the Grimm began to appear less and less frightening with each second and each truth he found was buried within these very walls.

"All of them? You can't be series! Something like that couldn't have been legal, the council wouldn't have allowed it!"

" _The council were the ones to sanction it,_ " Lazarus cut in, causing Jaune to clamp his mouth shut and nearly bit off his tongue in the processes. " _You have to understand, Jaune, at the time Vale was desperate for a solution to a myriad of problems that were plaguing us. With how over crowed the city was, the unemployment rate was at an all time high. Most of the volunteers were desperate individuals, many of whom had nothing left to lose and no one left to mourn for them. They were, as inhuman as it sounds, disposable in the eyes of the council. Things such as legality were thrown out the window in favor of an immediate solution to our problems. The unfortunate thing is that morality and science don't always go hand in hand. So long as their sacrifice helps us to achieve our goals, it was worth it._ "

"So long as the end justify the means, is that what you're telling me?"

" _I wish I wasn't but I am._ "

"Gods. I wish I had known beforehand that I would be walking into a mass graveyard."

" _What do you think Mountain Glenn is? There's more than rubble outside these walls, or at least there used to be. Unfortunately, the Grimm have a tendency to leave nothing behind, not even their bodies once their killed. It's sad but true._ "

"And you're certain no one survived the trials?"

" _As certain as I can which means that, officially, everyone one who was put through the experiments is deceased._ "

"And unofficially?"

" _Well, there were rumors._ "

"What kind of rumors?"

There was a pregnant paused. Jaune wondered for a moment if his connection to Lazarus had cut out, a sign that Merlot was indeed there and sending security to cut him off. With this in mind he pushed himself onward, all the while waiting for Lazarus to answer his question.

" _The experiments we conducted welcomed the inclusion of volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds be they men, women, human, faunus, adults… or children. Not long after the division was shut down rumors began spreading of a survivor, a little girl to be specific. She'd been an orphan, taken off the streets and brought here as a lab rat. The theory was that, because she was young and still developing, she'd have a greater chance of surviving and even benefiting from the enhancements. Needless to say they were a success but not without a caveat. Apparently, the mental stimulants had some unforeseen side effects. What had started out as a compliant little girl was twisted into a demon with no qualms about killing her handlers. She apparently killed several scientists before escaping the facility and disappearing into the populace. I'd thought her dead or simply a rumor until a report you send me a few weeks back._ "

"Something I put in there tip you off?"

" _Yes, a woman you encountered at the docks. The description you provided sounded very similar to the little girl who'd apparently escaped from here._ "

"What was the description?"

" _She had mismatched eyes and hair that was half chocolate brown and half strawberry pink._ "

"No. You can't be serious. That little bitch Roman had with him?"

" _Neo, as I heard him refer to her as. I can't be certain but her description sounds eerily similar to the little girl._ "

"You know; I wish I could say you were wrong but somehow I find it difficult to disagree with you."

The conversation soon came to an end as Jaune reached his destination. As expected the reality was greatly disappointing when compared to the fantasy he'd entertained before coming here. Rather than finding a massive computer with a fifty-inch screen and a larger than life keyboard, he found a work station with a few computers hooked up to one another and some large computer banks set in the back behind a cage.

" _Excellent. Alright, there should be an access port for your scroll somewhere along the computer terminals at the desk. Just plug your scroll in and I'll do the rest from here remotely."_

"What if there's no power? What then?"

" _They should be receiving power. Like I pointed out before, if this place wasn't hooked up to a power source of some kind you wouldn't have been able to get in. These should have some power being sent to them, albeit the amount of information they have access to will be limited so, for the most part we'll focus on obtaining a map of the facility as well as charting out some of the hotspots."_

"Hot spots?"

" _Areas where large amounts of power are being focused. Such places are almost guaranteed to be housing larger computer terminals with access to greater loads of information. We locate one of those and we'll be able to find out what's been going on here and possibly find out where else Merlot has been operating._ "

"And what if the good doctor is here after all? What then?"

" _We'll deal with that when we come to it. One hurtle at a time._ "

"If you say so," Jaune said, plugging his scroll into the side of the computer terminal.

There was a soft beep from the machine a few seconds later before the computer screens turned on and bathed the somewhat darkened room in artificial light. Before long streams of computer code could be seen flashing across the monitor. Jaune couldn't make sense out of any it and chose instead to sit and contemplate what he'd just been informed of. Considering everything he'd just learned in the span of the last hour or so the term "ignorance is bliss" was beginning to make more sense to him than he'd first thought. He also knew that the more he learned about this place the more he came to dislike Merlot, the councils, and, if he was being honest, Lazarus. Despite all the man had done for him there were still multitudes of questions he had that had gone unanswered. While his explanation in regards to what he was researching here made sense, his connections and overall power base said otherwise.

"You mentioned earlier that Merlot was in charge of finding ways to combat the Grimm themselves. Were those cages I saw part of his project?"

" _Unfortunately yes. Suffice it to say, Merlot was not above using human test subjects in his pursuit of knowledge. To say he was interested in the Grimm was putting it lightly. He was obsessed with them, almost to the point of worship. Needless to say, when Mountain Glenn fell I had my suspicions he was involved in some way._ "

"How did it fall? From what I've been able to gather it was purposely placed close to Vale in the event it came under siege from the Grimm. How did we fail to save it?"

" _Simply put; hubris. Thinking you have the capabilities to overcome any challenge presented to you and actually succeeding are two completely different things. We assumed that our defenses and underground transportation systems would be enough to ensure an evacuation of the city would be foolproof. We were wrong. Everything that could go wrong did and we soon found ourselves caught with our pants between our ankles, scrambling to salvage what we could from a hopeless situation._ "

"What happened?"

" _Do you really want to know? I can guarantee the outcome doesn't come with a silver lining._ "

"I'd rather know than be left wondering."

" _Very well. As part of the evacuation plan, the tunnels leading into Mountain Glenn from Vale had been lined with explosives. The plan was to blow them once everyone had reached Vale, eliminating the Grimm caught in the blasts and trapping the rest either inside the tunnels or in Mountain Glenn itself. Obviously, that's not how it turned out. Panic and a late response from Vale ensured that the casualties were catastrophic. What's more, the charges were blown earlier than intended, not only killing the Grimm but also civilians and teams of Huntsmen sent in to help with the evacuation. By the time the dust had settled, the council was scrambling to salvage what they could from the situation in a vain hope they could sweep it all under the rug. They didn't get that chance, however._

 _Several weeks after Mountain Glenn fell, information was leaked to the media about the operation and the premature detonation of the explosives in the tunnel. While the man responsible was dragged through the mud, both in the media and during his trial, the rest of those involved managed to get away with a simple slap on the wrist. Politicians are, unfortunately, some of the craftiest and adaptable people alive._ "

"Did they ever find out who leaked the information?"

" _Of course. It wasn't hard. The man in question didn't really try to hide the fact. He simply wanted justice for his fallen comrades, especially his teammates, who had all been killed during the sealing of the tunnels. He's been running from the law ever since, making a name for himself as Vale's most notorious criminal mastermind._ "

"Wait, you mean Roman Torchwick? You must be joking."

" _Jaune, you've faced the man himself on more than one occasion. He learned his skills from somewhere. He may be a criminal now but at one point he was a huntsman just like you._ "

"I don't think that title is something I can claim any more," Jaune argued.

A soft beep sound caught his attention and he looked to the computer to see the information dump was complete. Extracting his scroll, he was pleased to see it was now updated with a more accurate layout of the facility, highlighting places that were sealed off as well as others that were receiving power. One spot in particular seemed exceptionally hot, an obvious indication as to where he would be headed next.

"I have the map. I'll be moving to the next stage."

" _Hold on a moment. I'm going to sync the map from the scroll to your contacts. It should give you a heads up view of the map without obscuring your vision._ "

"You sure that's a good idea? I can just carry the scroll and check it periodically."

" _This will make things easier. If you run into trouble or if your scroll becomes damaged, it'll take some time for me to patch the map through to your contacts. Better to do it now to save you some time and avoid complications in the future._ "

"Alright, I'll take your word for it," he grumbled. "This isn't going to hurt, is it?"

" _You may notice something but I doubt you'll feel anything._ "

"How would you- Oww, son of a bitch!" Jaune snapped, wincing as a sharp pain lanced through his eyes.

It was quick but lingering, like having someone poke him in the eyes. His eyes watered, obscuring his vision for a moment until he cleared them of the liquid. Just as Lazarus had promised the same map could be seen before him, set to the side but still visible enough to allow him to make out small details and maintain his course to his new objective. Still, that really hurt.

" _Sorry about that,_ " Lazarus apologized.

"This is why I don't like using half the stuff you issue me. I always get the feeling I'm the one putting it through its first field test."

" _Quite whining and get a move on. Something about this doesn't feel right._ "

"You're telling me," Jaune said as he began making his way through the facility once more.

/-/

"You sure he's an abusive boyfriend and not just a little more expressive with his feelings?" Nora asked.

The following morning, Teams RWBY and NPR had sat down together for breakfast. With everything that had gone on in the last few weeks Nora was eager for an update on Weiss' pending relationship status. It didn't take long for them to recount everything they'd discovered during their investigation into Phoenix's home as well as voicing their varied concerns for what it all meant. While they'd earned some questioning looks from Pyrrha in regards to their breaking and entering, or as Nora put it crashing without permission, the reveal of the crater they'd found in his bathroom wall had raised a few eyebrows. Yang was the first to voice her concern, feeling that the evidence pointed to darker aspects to the man's personality. After a good nights sleep and their sister teams second opinion, however, it seemed Yang was the only one who felt this way.

"I'm telling you, the hole was massive. It wasn't something that a civilian could cause by accident," she argued.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this assumed civilian an ex-huntsman?" Ren pointed out.

"That would explain a few things. Yang's right about a simple civilian being unable to do something like that but a huntsman is another story. There's no telling what kind of training he's had in the past and we don't even know what his fighting style is like. For all we know, he could have been a hand to hand combatant like you," Pyrrha piped in.

"Yea, besides, I put holes in our walls all the time and you don't see anyone calling me abusive," Nora added.

"No, but it has led to some rather tense talks with Miss Goodwitch in regards to limiting your sparring to combat class," Ren countered.

"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side," Nora pouted.

"I'm on the side that doesn't land me in trouble with one of the most intimidating teachers at Beacon," Ren said in retort, hearing no complaints from his partner at his logic.

"Alright, alright, I'll concede that, as an ex-huntsman, he's more than capable of doing something like that to the wall. But why hide it?"

"Maybe because it's none of our business," Weiss shot back in an irritated tone.

"Well excuse me for showing concern for the wellbeing of my teammates," Yang rounded on her.

"It wouldn't be a problem if you didn't jump to conclusions every time someone looked at us the wrong way. You have a nasty habit of switching into _Mom_ mode every time something goes awry."

"She has a point, Yang. Your less like our teammate and more like our team's mom," Ruby pointed.

"I have a question," Ren interrupted, seeing the fight that was already threatening to kick off. "As far as you can tell the damage must have been dealt after the dance. Do you know which arm he used?"

"His prosthetic arm, we think. He has no problem using his left arm but when he was wearing his prosthetic he favored it more than his left."

"If I may ask, how did he lose his arm?"

"To a Grimm, a Beowulf I think, during one of his earlier missions. It's what prompted him to quite the huntsmen's life and work in the private sector."

"I see. One last thing, has he ever reached out for his missing limb?"

"A few times, yes," Weiss agreed, somewhat surprised by how accurate Ren's questions were. "I've seen him on a few occasions reaching over to his missing limb before hesitating and switching to something else. He thinks I don't notice and I try not to point it out mostly to be polite."

"I see," Ren said, resting his chin on his hands as he took a moment to contemplate everything that was said. "I think I'm starting to get a general picture of what's going on."

All the members of the teams leaned in, eager to hear what he had to say. Even Blake, with her nose stuck in her book, had her gaze squarely on Ren, her literature long forgotten.

"Yang isn't completely wrong in her assessment," he said.

"Ha, see, I told you," she cheered.

"But she isn't completely right either, especially regarding the whole 'abusive boyfriend' scenario," he pointed out.

"Say what?" she said, deflated.

Weiss smirked in triumph, happy to see her assessment of Phoenix was fairly accurate.

"From what I can gather, the attack on his wall may have been triggered by some sort of psychological episode, possibly something along the lines of PTSD. I'm no expert so I can't say for certain but something may have spooked him in his bathroom and he reacted defensively, smashing the wall in an attempt to defend himself from his supposed assailant. The fact that he hasn't revealed any of this to you may be due to the embarrassment he feels. Being a former huntsman, he may think he should be better than that and doesn't want to appear weak in front of you."

"What about the fact that he reaches out for his mission arm?" Ruby asked.

"It's called phantom limb syndrome. It's an affliction in the nerves experienced by those who've lost limbs. The nerves in those areas will miss-fire signals, giving the person the impression that their arm or leg is in pain or itching. Our natural response is to relive that but, once they are reminded nothings there, well it isn't difficult to believe they might feel embarrassed about that as well. Simple fact of the matter is, he's suffering but his pride and embarrassment are preventing him from reaching out."

"I… hadn't thought of that," Yang admitted, her face twisting into obvious guilt as she reflected on her attitude the previous night.

Weiss' face held a similar expression, her mind reflecting on the conversation she'd had with him the previous day. Phoenix's half-answers and evasive responses had all started to make sense to her now. The fact that he refused to start a relationship with her and even his reference to himself as being "broken" were all allusions to the psychological trauma he was dealing with and was no doubt attempting to come to terms with. It was his pride, embarrassment, and self-loathing that had him maintaining a distance between them with his fear of how she might react to seeing him suffering being to catalyst for it all. Somehow she thought she should have recognized the signs, having suffered something similar, but felt guilty all the same because she knew roughly of how he might be feeling and what he was going through and had failed to offer some sort of support, focusing on her own happiness instead. One thing was for sure, when Phoenix returned they'd have a great deal to talk about and she'd have ample reason to apologize to him for how she'd acted. She had a great deal of work to do.

/-/

Jaune had been walking for what felt like hours. He wouldn't be surprised if that were true, the last vestiges of time he had being the fact that the sun was rising when he found the facility, making it close to early morning when he entered. While his overhead map came with many useful tools, a clock was surprisingly absent from it. He was sure he could request it from Lazarus if he wanted but, with the rather annoying pain he'd felt shooting through his eye after transferring the map from his scroll to his contacts still fresh in his mind, he wasn't at all keen to go through that experience again. No, he would trust that, by the time he made it out, he'd be able to acclimate his internal clock accordingly and plan his next move from there.

The map, while useful, wasn't as current as he had first thought. Several times he had to replan his route after it brought him to a series of dead ends that were sealed off either due to impassible rubble, a sealed security door meant to prevent experiments from escaping, or a door that had become so rusted with time it would require a great deal more strength and power than he had to make it budge. Ultimately, though, he was on track to his objective and had yet to meet any opposition in his path.

Speaking of which that was another thing which had been bothering him. While Lazarus had warned him repeatedly of the possibility of him encountering resistance from Merlot, he'd yet to meet a single person or Grimm for that matter. While part of him was paranoid that something was going to pop out and attack him the moment he let his guard down, another part of him felt that they had been misled. There were a number of explanations that could explain why the facility was receiving power and who was operating it. The most prominent of these theories involved the White Fang whom Jaune knew were operating out of this area. Torchwick had all but confirmed it at the rally, claiming that several of their operatives were working on a special project down here. He wouldn't be surprised if a group of them had been sent to the facility in order to salvage what they could from it and had even activated the power in order to scour the computer banks for any useful information. Whatever the case may be he'd soon find out as he neared his objective.

As he neared the hotspot on his map, he wasn't at all surprised to find a large computer terminal with dozens of computer servers humming noisily in the back. The area in which they were set up was cordoned off in a separate, environmentally controlled room, mostly to ensure they didn't overheat. Nearing the computers, he found that a thick layer of dust coated the computers and their monitors, indicating that no one had disturbed them since the facility was abandoned. This small detail was perplexing to Jaune. While most people would have glossed over this detail, he'd been trained to look deeper into them. Considering the enemies they'd faced and the fact that a previously abandoned facility in the ruins of an old city had only recently sprung to life, it would have made sense that the dust would have been disturbed by whomever was accessing these computers. The fact that the dust remained, however, suggested they were being controlled from somewhere else.

"Lazarus, I'm at the objective."

" _Good. Look for an injection port similar to the one you found earlier. The data transfer will take a bit longer this time so be prepared to be sitting around for a while._ "

"About that, I have reason to suspect that this isn't the real cause of the power surge we've been seeing."

" _Glad to see we're on the same wavelength._ "

"You suspected they're receiving power from somewhere else?"

" _There are obvious signs that no one's disturbed these computers at all. Couple that with the absolute lack of security and I had several red flags flying up. At best this may only be acting as a junction port, one which is directing orders from elsewhere to this part of the facility. We should be able to back track the signal from here and find out exactly where its coming from, possibly leading us to Merlot._ "

"Alright then, I'll begin the data transfer."

Jaune quickly located the injection port, conveniently in the same place as before, and hooked in his scroll. There was a momentary pause as Lazarus activated the transfer from his end and the computer screen shifted. Three small dots appeared followed by two words that had Jaune's guard up instantly. On the computer screen was the phrase " **Welcome Back** " before the screen went dark and the facility along with it.

" _Jaune!_ " Lazarus nearly screamed into his ear.

"I'm here. The data transfer must have triggered an automated defense protocol. I can't see a damn thing."

" _It wasn't automated. When I activated the transfer I noticed something odd. The connection was severed before I could begin looking for the source but, whatever happened, it was done intentionally._ "

"Guess that's confirmation Merlot knows I'm here."

" _Indeed._ "

Jaune deployed his blade and shield, ready for any intruders. He activated his heat sensor from his contacts but soon discovered just how useless they were at that moment. The room was practically coated in heat signatures, most of them coming off of the servers. While it could have simply been chalked up to convenience, Jaune knew it had been planned. The fact that the terminal they'd hacked earlier had highlighted this as a hotspot was too convenient to have been by chance. He quickly shifted to night vision, taking the chance that at any moment the lights could flare back to life, blinding him. He knew or at least expected they wouldn't. Assuming whomever was working with or for Merlot was using night vision as well they'd be blinded along with him. He quickly scanned the room, checking for any odd movement but saw nothing. A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face. Nothing about this felt right. Every instinct in his body screamed for him to run but where to? It was obvious Merlot had complete control of this facility and that included the entrances and exits. He was trapped.

" _Jaune you need to get out of there now. Abort mission._ " Lazarus said in a commanding tone that was laced with concern.

"I would if I knew a reliable rout out of here," Jaune answered. "We can't trust the map we downloaded. Merlot has this place at his beck and call."

" _Just start making your way towards an exit. I'll support you from here as best I can. I managed to upload a local virus at the last terminal. It won't let me do much but I may be able to slow him down, enough for you to escape._ "

"Alright, I'm headed out."

Before he had a chance to move, however, the door to the server room slammed shut. A loud alarm blared, signaling what he assumed was the door being electronically locked but he soon realized it meant something far worse. Slowly, the floor beneath him began to recede into the walls. To make matters worse the ceiling itself began to descend as well, ensuring he wouldn't be able to latch onto anything to prevent him from falling.

"This just isn't my day, is it?" he mumbled.

Looking down into the pit below he couldn't make out the bottom. For a moment it appeared to slope slightly, ensuring it wasn't a pit but a tunnel that led somewhere. While he didn't think for a moment that it's destination was at all safe, it was quickly becoming apparent that he didn't have much choice in the matter. Taking fate into his hands he leapt down into the tunnel, using his aura to brace himself against the impact as he rolled down. He didn't spend much time on his little ride before it spat him out into a large open pit, several feet below the floor. The last thing he remembered was hitting the ground hard before something large and heavy smacked into him from behind and he blacked out.

/-/

Weiss didn't know what to make of their current situation but if there was one thing she was certain about it was the fact that it wasn't at all favorable. Granted, having managed to nab a mission meant for more experienced students was a plus, if only because the headmaster had authorized it, but the huntsman they'd been assigned to act as their escort had been nothing less than inadequate. Bartholomew Oobleck, aside from being one of Beacon's most difficult teachers both in part to the difficulty of his homework assignments and the rapid manner in which he spoke, was one of the furthest men whom she would have deemed as being huntsman material, the absolute worst being Port, for obvious reasons. Still, once they'd discovered a mission that would take them into the area they'd overheard Torchwick mention during his rousing speech at the White Fang rally, Blake had been gung-ho about about them going down there to investigate.

The moment they touched down the Professor, sorry, _Doctor_ had opted to take a backseat to the combat and instead leave their team to do all the work while asking probing question to each of them in varying degrees. The nature of these questions seemed odd at first but, after comparing them to each of her teammates, she found each of them had been different and customized to their own unique personalities and backgrounds.

"Excuse me Professor," Weiss said, their teacher having taken a moment to allow them to set up camp in an abandoned two story building.

"Doctor," he interrupted in an irritated tone.

"Apologies, doctor, what was your degree in again?"

"I completed a triple doctorate, with an emphasis on archeology," he said proudly.

"What were the other two subjects?" Blake asked as she unrolled her sleeping bag.

"Ancient languages and Psychology."

"Psychology?"

"Yes. Despite what many would think, having an increased knowledge in this area was paramount to my research. It allows me to gain greater insight into the lives of ancient civilizations as well as their reasons for choosing where they built their homes, the manner in which they defended themselves against the Grimm, and how they interacted with one another. I found it to be quite useful especially when I found myself faced with questions regarding certain lines of ritual text."

Weiss was a little surprised, if not impressed, that the man had managed to accomplish such a task. Completing the doctorial program was no easy feat as the process took several years of study and to complete three all at the same time was equally impressive. Still, given the gargantuan amounts of caffeine the man consumed on a daily basis, she had no doubt he'd spent many a late night completing his own assignments and delving into research.

"Psychology, huh? Does that mean you're like a therapist?" Ruby asked.

"Therapists do study psychology, Miss Rose, though most of their studies will entail a different field than the one I undertook. Still, I am a qualified therapist at Beacon and have maintained all the necessary training to aid any of our students in dealing with traumatic events that may occur during missions."

Weiss wasn't surprised by this fact. She'd known Beacon maintained their own medical staff on sight, not only for physical injuries but mental ones as well. Unfortunately, her father had insisted on her seeing a "professional" and while he'd wanted her to see someone back in Atlas, it had taken a great deal of persuasion on her part to convince him that it would be better for her if she received treatment while in Vale. She would have preferred to have done so at Beacon but beggars can't be choosers, as they say.

"Would it be alright, doctor, if we asked you something?" Ruby asked.

"Of course, I am a teacher after all and enlightening my student's minds in part and parcel of my responsibilities."

"Cool. Well, we have this friend who had an unfortunate run-in with the Grimm a while back- "

"Let me stop you right there, Miss Rose," Oobleck said, holding up in his hand as he spoke. "Does anything in which you are about to ask me at all related to Miss Schnee and the unfortunate incident that claimed Mr. Arc's life last year? If so then I must ask that you keep your questions to yourselves. It would be best that I not encroach upon the responsibilities already undertaken by her own Physician Dr. Wong."

"It's related to me, Doctor, but it's not about Jaune. It's in regards to a friend I made recently and an incident that caused him to retire from the life of a huntsman," Weiss piped in.

"I see. Carry on then."

Weiss did so, relating to their teacher some of the information she'd gathered around Phoenix and his previous life. Some of it she curtailed, mostly in regards to the overall nature of their relationship as well as their most recent visit to his home, stating it merely as a visit and failing to mention that he hadn't been home when they'd come by. Through it all Oobleck remained silent, never once interrupting her. He instead watched her with an intensity that made her feel uncomfortable but reassured her that the man was listening and, more importantly, was taking everything she said seriously. When she was finished she waited for him to speak, hoping he'd offer some insight.

"You suspect he might be suffering from some form of PTSD?" he asked.

"We do," she confirmed.

"And his revelation in regards to his fear of starting a relationship with anyone, coupled with the rather large hole you found in his bathroom wall, are what you feel point towards this."

"We're not completely sure. We don't have all the details and obviously it's a very personal matter that I've hesitated to bring mostly out of politeness."

"I commend you for this. More often than not people will attempt to pry into the inner workings of a person's mind, often aggressively. This is not always recommended, however, as the mind of a huntsman, especially one who's experienced such a traumatic event as losing his arm, can often have catastrophic results."

"Are you suggesting he could become aggressive, like abusive?" Yang inquired.

"No, on the contrary Miss Xio Long, his actions would be purely defensive. He'd more likely act out of a desire to distance himself from those who are assaulting him rather than lashing out at those closest to him. Not only that but Mr. Lie Ren's synopsis that much of his reasons for keeping this from you are born of his pride and embarrassment are not at all farfetched. In fact, he may have struck the heart of the issue."

"How so?" Weiss asked.

"For you to understand his current predicament, you must understand man's early role, back in the days before the four Kingdoms, the rise of Huntsmen and Huntresses. Going back to man's earliest days, when the role of men was that of the provider and protector. In those days it was expected that any boy born into tribes or groups would undoubtedly need to know how to fight in order to not only defend themselves but to defend his people as well. It is something that has become ingrained within our societies, our cultures, to the extent that anything not considered _manly_ will often led to boys being shunned and mocked, ostracized by others."

"Well that's stupid," Ruby piped in.

"You are not wrong, Miss Rose. True, the cultures of today are vastly different from how they were centuries, even millennia ago, but some things have always managed to remain a staple of our cultures and the way we view one another. It is part of why we seek certain traits within a mate. Men who were capable of defending their people and fighting off the Grimm were highly sought out by women who believed that their children would be born stronger and more capable of surviving into adulthood. That way of thinking is something that has transitioned over into the huntsmen's life.

From the day you begin training to the day you graduate you are told that you are Humanity's first line of defense against the Grimm. We are the sword which cuts them down and the shield which guards all of humanity against them. In a way, we have taken that same expectation that we had for men and given it a new image. Unfortunately, when you fail at being a huntsman, the same disappoints we had for those who failed to protect their own are shifted onto them. No doubt your friend feels the same way. Whether the mission was a success or not isn't the issue. His injury has prevented him from continuing his life as a huntsman and that is a hurtle which is incredibly difficult to overcome."

"But we have prosthetics meant to replace lost limbs like that. We've even seen him using one. Just because he lost an arm doesn't mean he can't still be a huntsman, right?" Ruby asked.

"It's not that simple, Miss Rose. While his physical injuries can be easily fixed, or in this case replaced, his mental injuries are another issue altogether. His inability to cope with his lost arm, coupled with whatever trauma he may have experienced at the claws of the Beowulf, may have left him afraid to return to the field. He knows this. That's why he feels guilty, why he feels embarrassed and prefers to mask his feelings rather than face them. Fixing the mind is nothing like fixing the body. While you can put a band aid over a cut or scrape, there's no real cure for inflictions on the mind. That's something he has to choose to overcome and only if he's willing."

"Isn't there anything we can do for him?" Weiss asked, a little desperate for answers.

"In all honesty I cannot say. I don't know this man's history nor the extend of his injuries. It would be foolish and arrogant of me to offer you hope without really knowing what ails him. At best all I can say is that you continue to develop the bond you have with him. Such a connection will be important and may very well help him to overcome whatever hurtles he may be facing. Further more, if he is in fact undergoing treatment, it would be best that you offer whatever help you can. The problem with cases such as his is that they don't always overcome their affliction completely. That damage will always persist, like a scar on the psyche."

Oobleck's explanation left them all in silence. Coupled with the discussion they'd had earlier in the day with Ren, much of what their teacher said made sense. Phoenix was suffering, that much was for certain, but to what extent they couldn't really say. Weiss wished she knew or at least had a way to ask him how she might help but there were great many obstacles that lay in along that path, most of which they'd created. For one thing their intrusion upon his home had been what had revealed this portion of his life to them. Not only that but revealing this to him could very well set her back, ensuring that whatever trust and respect she'd built up in his mind would surely be diminished. Still, she wanted to help. She wanted to be someone he could count on for support. The only question was should she reveal what she'd discovered to him and hope he would forgive her, enough to trust her, or maintain the illusion that she was ignorant and seek forgiveness later?

/-/

" **Jaune. Jaaauuunne. Time to waaakkkee uuuppp… WAKE UP!** "

Jaune groaned, his head throbbing as he pushed himself into a kneeling position. He was groggy, not quite sure how long he'd been unconscious for, but he had a vague memory of what had happened. He recalled activating the data transfer, having the power go out followed by the floor and ceiling revealing themselves to be an elaborate trap. From there he'd jumped into the tunnel, sliding down for a while before landing rather roughly on the ground. Moments later something smacked in the head, causing him to blackout but what had hit him? Looking around he noticed he was in a large cavernous area deep underground. It wasn't a naturally formed cave, that much was for certain, as a large metal door could be seen at one of the cavern as well as metal walkways above. He also noticed something strange and out of place, even for a cave. A large wooden desk with what appeared to be the remains of an old computer.

"Explains what hit me on the way down," he muttered to himself. It seemed that, with the removal of the floor, the desk had taken a ride along with him.

" **No shit, Sherlock** ," he heard Phoenix's voice echo in his head.

The sudden response caught him off guard and he looked around frantically, expecting to see his image reflected in something, but found nothing but rocks and cave wall. Was he going crazy? Perhaps he was slowly losing his mind bit by bit? Regardless, he would have to keep it together, at least until he made it out and back to Vale.

"Lazarus, are you seeing this? Lazarus? Do you read me? Hello?"

Static emanated from his ear piece. Whether due to the depth of the cavern or perhaps lead lining the cave walls, something was preventing him from contacting the outside world. That would undoubtedly mean that Lazarus had no idea what had happened to him either. Seems he was on his own for now. This didn't bother Jaune much. He'd performed solo missions in the past. The only reason Lazarus had tagged along in a more back seat sort of way was due to the nature of their mission and who exactly they were looking to apprehend. Now if only he could find a way out.

As far as he could see there were very few exits to be had. The tunnel he'd come down was too high up for him to reach and would be difficult for him to scale back up. Not to mention the floor and ceiling would no doubt prevent him from escaping the room once he made it back up which meant he needed to find an alternative. The walkways above showed promise with the only problem being how he would get up to them. The large door on the far side promised an exit as well though, given the nature of the facility's history, he wouldn't be surprised if those big metal doors were meant to keep something locked up rather than offer a convenient route out of here. Taking a moment to gauge his bearings, he began looking for a portion of the wall that he might scale up to the walkways when several speakers and a large monitor descended from the ceiling. The screen soon blared to life, showing the image of an older gentleman with disheveled gray hair, matching beard and mustache, and one green eye and a robot one that glowed red.

"Well, well, well, so you're Lazarus' little errand boy," his voice came over the speakers.

" _I take it you must be Dr. Merlot_ ," Jaune answered, having activated the voice modulator hidden around his throat.

"There's no need for this cloak and dagger, boy. I know exactly who you are."

" _A lot of people seem to think that. What makes you any different?_ "

"The fact that I have a far greater access to information than any of your other adversaries, Jaune Arc."

Jaune tensed, realizing only a moment later how the act had almost assuredly confirmed what Merlot had expected. He relaxed but the faint smile that was growing on the man's face told him enough. He knew, or at least he thought he knew and so he believed he knew his weaknesses as well. He would need to play things out if only to determine how much the man knew.

" _What makes you think I'm Jaune Arc?_ " he asked, keeping his voice modulator activated just in case.

"Several things really. Last year one of my beloved test subjects escaped from her confines. I was completely beside myself with worry. She'd never been a day without my care and now she was out in the wide open world, completely devoid of my guidance and protection," he stated in a tone that suggested he truly did consider such things as the Death Stalker which nearly killed him his child. "It was only later that I learned of her tragic demise at the hands of some _boy_ , some huntsman-in-training no less, who led her off a cliff and into the ravine below."

" _Sounds to me like you should have chosen a smarter test subject to work with_ ," Jaune said mockingly. " _That said, what makes you think I'm Jaune Arc. I may be new around here but word is that boy's dead._ "

"You're presumed dead. They only found your right arm, the exact one which is also conveniently your prosthetic," Merlot pointed out.

" _That does narrow it down but, if we're being honest, I'm not the only man alive whose had their arm replaced._ "

"Perhaps, but not many people on Remnant have an arm with quite your specific design, do they?" Merlot asked, raising his own arm to reveal a prosthetic of a similar design, albeit with several red glowing lines where the inner components were exposed.

Jaune twitched, chalking up another win for Merlot. The man was quickly narrowing down the criteria that labeled himself and Archangel as the same person which would also mean that his friends, and most importantly his family, would be on the list of people he could threaten. That meant that, assuming he was in fact here, he'd need to capture Merlot and discover if there was anyone else close to him who knew of his identity. That would have to wait, however, as he still needed to find a way out of this cave before he could start hunting Merlot down as well.

"I've read the reports. They only found your missing arm, severed at the shoulder. A jagged cut, certainly not torn off as would be the general nature of the Death Stalker. Aggressive as they maybe, they had a tendency to tear rather than cut their victims to ribbons, which means you severed your arm yourself, didn't you?"

It wasn't so much a question as it was an observation. Jaune quickly ran through what he said, looking for any ways his answer might give him away, but could see none that were safe enough to keep him as a neutral party. At best he would have to make his answer short and curt, keeping out as much detail as possible.

" _I did what I had to do to survive_ ," he said simply.

"Ha ha ha, brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Merlot's voice boomed over the speakers, resonating off the cavern walls as he leaned back in his chair, laughing excitedly. "To think, when faced with the prospect of death, you willing sacrificed your arm on the vague hope that you might just survive. And here you are, a shinning example of humanity's ability to adapt and grow stronger. Oh, I surely hope you survive my little experiment. You'd make an excellent test subject. Then again, considering you're one of Lazarus' puppets, I shouldn't have expected anything less."

" _You seem oddly pleased that I killed your last Death Stalker. With how you've referred to them so far I would have expected something more akin to anger and furry for what I've done._ "

"Oh, don't misunderstand, I do greatly despise you, Jaune Arc. That said, my little pet was, shall we say, less cooperative than I would have liked. Hence, her demise was nothing short of her own failing. This one, however, has proven far more receptive to my way of thinking and much more capable of providing you a challenge as well as me with some useful data."

Having said his peace, the monitor went blank before receding into the cave ceiling. The large metal doors at the opposite end of the cave soon began to recede into the walls themselves, creaking and groaning loudly as they were forced open. Amid their sounds Jaune could make out another noise, a hissing of some sort that was oddly familiar and sent a cold shiver down his spin. Sure enough, the door opened and a large Death Stalker, not unlike the one he'd nearly died to the previous year, shuffled out. It snapped its pincers menacingly and its eyes glowed with an unnatural green hue, all of which he felt were directed at himself. Unlike before this Death Stalker didn't charge at him with reckless abandon but instead took a moment to access the situation. Before long, however, it determined its method of attack and moved in for the kill.

" _Shit_ ," he mumbled.

/-/

Ruby sat on the edge of the ruined building's second floor, gazing out into the distance. All her life she'd wanted to be a huntress, a hero, someone who could protect people. She wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps, saving everyone and anyone she came across regardless of who they were. That was just what heroes did right? Then how come she'd failed to save the first friend she'd made after coming to Beacon? How come she'd failed to save Jaune when he needed her most?

The death of her first friend, her best friend, had been a difficult and sobering experience. She'd dealt with death before in the form of her mother but that experience had been somewhat distant. She'd never seen the body, only a sealed casket that they'd lowered into the ground and placed a memorial over. She'd not been there when her mother fell or heard her last words as death claimed her. It had been difficult, mostly due to the void that was left in her absence, but she'd pulled through thanks to her Uncle Qrow and older sister Yang. Unfortunately, that had done little to prepare her for what would happen just a year prior.

If only she'd been quicker. If only she'd taken those turns a bit more sharply or seen the Death Stalker coming. On and on she berated herself, thinking "if only" rather than accepting that some things just don't always go the way you planned. She'd managed to make it to the cliff, saving Weiss just in time, and watched in horror as Jaune plummeted to the ravine below. She'd seen the look in his eyes as he fell. There was no fear, no pleading, no betrayal. He'd looked sad and almost content with the fate he'd been given. Somehow that hurt more than anything else. It was almost as if he'd expected she wouldn't make it in time, that death would claim him, and he was alright with that. It hurt to know but what hurt even more was not knowing he'd survived.

Not long after he'd fallen a search team was dispatched to look for his remains. All they'd found was a severed arm, cut by his own sword, along with his family's sword and shield. They'd assumed the rest of his body had been washed out to sea, either claimed by one of the larger aquatic Grimm or sunk to the bottom, they weren't quite sure. What everyone believed, what they'd assumed, was that Jaune Arc was dead. Yet, only a few weeks' prior her new friend Penny, who was a robot which was awesome, had discovered that Jaune was alive. What was even more surprising was that he was going by the name Archangel and acting like a vigilante, a hero from the comics she loved to read. The news should have been wonderful, a relief on her conscience. Yet, for some reason it didn't illicit the kind of reaction she thought she should have. All she could ask was why. If Jaune was alive, if he'd survived, why did he not let them know? Where had he been all this time and where had he learned to fight like that?

These questions and more plagued her mind, keeping her awake at night as she tried and failed to come up with realistic scenarios in regards to his reasons for leaving them. At best she would need to hunt him down and ask him herself but something like that seemed almost impossible. For one, their only lead had dried up. Phoenix Ash, Weiss' not really but sort of boyfriend who apparently had PTSD, had proven he had no connection to Archangel in spite of some evidence they'd had that pointed to him. Not only that but the few times they'd run into Jaune/Archangel, he'd left them before they had really any moment to talk. Their last meeting which happened after they'd kicked Torchwick's butt in the giant Atlas mech, he'd practically scolded them before running off. Something had changed but what?

Ruby's thoughts were quickly interrupted by her corgi, Zwei, nudging her with his nose. The subtle whine he gave her told her enough to know that he needed to find a fire hydrant and fast.

"Alright, but make it quick boy," she said as she followed him out into the ruins.

Despite being devoid of human life, the ruins of Mountain Glenn were still teaming with Grimm. At least, that's what she had been led to believe. Granted, she and her team had run into a few Beowulves and some baby Nevermore when they'd first arrived, but for the most part the place seemed deserted. Their instructor, Dr. Oobleck, had found this equally puzzling. Places typically recaptured by the Grimm were known to have several groups, all with various areas of territory that often times overlapped. They should have encountered much more Grimm than they'd first seen but instead had found themselves fairly underwhelmed. Regardless, none of them had allowed their guard to fall, hence why they'd taken refuge in a fairly stable two story building. There was no telling where the other Grimm might be hiding. They knew that Mountain Glenn held tunnels leading back to Vale, tunnels that could very well act as shelter for the creatures of darkness. All they'd need to do was make one wrong move only to find themselves falling into one of these tunnels, surrounded by the Grimm.

Ruby checked her corners as she followed her pet dog. The little mutt sniffed at nearly every hydrant, lamp post, or stray piece of rubble he came across, looking for a suitable place to do his business.

"Come on Zwei, hurry up," she whispered urgently. "You could choose any spot and it would be fine."

He dog disagreed, intent on finding the perfect spot to relieve himself. Ruby sighed, annoyed by the fact that her dog insisted on doing his business in the middle of a very creepy abandoned city. While she attempted to tell herself there was nothing wrong, that everything was fine, she couldn't help but think she could still hear the sound of their voices. _It's just the wind, it's just the wind_ she franticly told herself. Damn Yang and her insistence on telling scary ghost stories around the fire. Still, there was something strange about those voices. They weren't ominous or pleading like they were in the stories. For whatever reason it sounded like they were complaining. Not only that but they sounded close, real close.

Peaking around a corner, Ruby's curiosity overwhelmed her fear and was rewarded with the discovery of two White Fang Grunts. She gasped and quickly covered her mouth with her hand when the two looked in her direction. When they saw nothing, however, they returned to their patrol, continuing to complain about something or someone. Before long they disappeared, probably back to their base, leaving Ruby the perfect opportunity to call for back up. She didn't get much of a chance, however, as a muffled explosion sounded from underground followed by a rumbling. She swayed a little, caught off guard and off balance, before the ground itself began to give way beneath her feet. Grabbing on to whatever was available, she latched onto a crumbling ledge as her dog Zwei tried desperately to save his master.

"Zwei, get Yang. Go back and get my team," she ordered.

It would be the last thing he'd hear before watching as Ruby plummeted into the abyss below.

* * *

**Consider this a bit of a gift from me before I go on an extended vacation of sorts. I'll be out of town for a while and not sure how reliable the Wi-Fi will be at my new destination. If I can I'll continue to update my stories but no guarantees. What I can say is that I'll have a lot of updates once I return.**

**Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Obviously we're reaching a point where Jaune will come into conflict with not only Lazarus but his friends as well. I'm still thinking up a good way to portray his interaction with Weiss and how she'll react to finding out the truth. Obviously things will not go well.**

**Leave a review of what you think and I'll see you next time.**


	11. Chapter 11: Runaway Train

" **On your right.** "

"Uge!" Jaune grunted, dodging out of the was as the Death Stalker brought it's claw down on where he'd been standing like a massive hammer.

" **You're welcome,** " the snide voice of Phoenix echoed in his head.

"Shut up, I'm trying to concentrate," he growled, fighting back the uneasy feeling he had of actually talking to what he assumed was a voice his subconscious had created due to building guilt.

" **So you find my voice distracting?** "

"Very," he confirmed.

" **Then why have you been listening to my instructions for the last ten minutes?** "

Jaune grit his teeth, unable to come up with a viable answer for himself of all people. Being part of his subconscious, the voice of Phoenix echoed again this time in laughter. In some small way a part of him found the whole situation rather entertaining. Had he been nothing but a bystander watching the show, like a kid watching a rom-com anime, he might have found the situation just as funny. However, when you were a literal part of it the humor was sapped from it completely and replaced with naked frustration. The overall situation left him little in the way of breathing room as he struggled to defeat the Grimm before him while also ignoring the ever present voice in his head which had become more prevalent as the battle ensued.

Things weren't exactly going well for him in terms of the fight either. While it was wildly believed that Grimm were unintelligent creatures who relied purely on instinct, it was easy for them to find a natural pattern that the creatures might take when accosting their foes. Unfortunately for Jaune, the Death Stalker that stood before him was much more intelligent and aggressive than any he had faced in the past. Granted, he'd only ever faced two Death Stalkers before, the one he and his team took down at Beacon's initiation and the second which had nearly drowned him in the ravines river. That said, both were highly aggressive creatures, more prone to trying to snap you in half with their pincers or stab you with their massive stinger. They were creatures that sought to use their massive size and brute strength to crush their enemies into paste. It was this distinction that made them easy to tag team with one person acting as a decoy while the rest pelted it with attacks. None of that could be said of this creature though.

This Death Stalker watched him carefully, striking out with it's pincers and occasionally attempting to smash him like a walnut. When he had first made a move on the creature, ducking into its guard and attempting to close the distance between them, it had cut him off using its tail by stabbing the ground. Had he not dodged out of the way in the knick of time he would have been skewered by its stinger. Now, however, he was on the back foot. Slowly but surely he gave ground to the scorpion, watching as its beady eyes kept him well within its sights. He was running out of breathing room and if he wasn't careful he'd find himself backed into a wall with nothing but bone armor and death between himself and the rest of the cave. He had to move and fast.

The moment it brought its pincher down on the ground, Jaune leapt into action. He vaulted over the large appendage, dodging to the side just in time as it brought its stinger into the ground like a massive javelin. With nothing left between himself and open ground Jaune tore across the cave floor. It didn't take long for the Death Stalker to realize what had happened to its prey and it quickly turned itself around to initiate pursuit. Though Jaune was fast on his feet the scorpion was faster, its six legs working madly in unison to propel itself across the cave floor and within range of him. It didn't take long for Jaune to reach the other side of the cave where the massive metal door stood that had kept the creature at bay. While it had opened to admit it entry, it was now closed and presumably sealed shut with the only person capable of opening it being the man he'd come here in pursuit of. He slammed his fist on it in vain, listening to the metallic echo of metal against metal reverberate on the other side. Even if it were still open, he doubted it would help him much. As far as he could tell the area had been meant to act more as a cage rather than an escape route.

"There has to be another way out," he said to himself.

" **Did you ever consider the walkways?** " Phoenix's voice echoed in his head.

"Now why didn't I think of that? Oh wait, I did! They're several feet above us, moron. Even the walls are too steep for me to climb up to them," he replied, pushing away the uneasy feeling he had at actually speaking to, let alone acknowledging, a voice in his head.

" **Then perhaps we merely need to catch a ride up,** " Phoenix commented in a cheeky tone.

"I know I'm going to regret asking this but what did you have in mind?"

" **So glad you asked,** " Phoenix replied in a manner that had Jaune shiver in displeasure. " **You see our rather large friend approaching fast?** "

"Hard not to. Why?"

" **Whenever we draw close to him he as a tendency to strike out with his stinger. With how hard he strikes at the ground he has to pull back pretty hard to wrench it out again. Given the force behind it I'm willing to bet it could fling us pretty far, enough to get us within range of the walkways.** "

"You know, when I asked for your opinion I was hoping it wouldn't err on the side of suicidal," Jaune complained.

" **Say what you will but unless you have any better ideas, which you don't I might add, you're only other option is to keep running until either you or it tires out. Guess which one of you I have my money on in that department?** "

Jaune growled, visually displeased with the situation he was in. What irked him even more was the fact that Phoenix's idea was essentially his idea given that he was a part of his mind. That said, he was correct in saying he didn't have any other ideas at the moment. The Death Stalker was closing fast and his only options were to face it or keep running and hope that another idea popped into his head. Knowing which one he preferred more, he waited until the creature was within range and fairly close to one of the walkways before he struck and charged the beast.

His sudden aggressive surge caught the creature off guard. It hesitated for a moment, wondering why it's prey that had spent most of its time running away had suddenly decided to charge forwards. In the end it didn't matter. It would only mean its death was sooner rather than later. As Jaune sprinted into its guard the Death Stalker readied its stinger before plunging into the ground where he stood. The impact wasn't enough to bury it too far into the ground so when it retracted its stringer it took very little effort to do so. However, as it starred down at the ground it was hit with a wave of shock and confusion. The boy was gone. How? Where did he go? Turing around in a 360-degree rotation it sought to put him back in its sights but saw nothing more than an empty cave. Somehow the boy had evaded him.

Meanwhile, Jaune clutched onto the barb of the large stinger for dear life. Using his metal arm, he was thankfully able to maintain his grip without fear of slipping. He did, however, find himself becoming increasingly nauseous as the creature's sudden turns kicked up his motion sickness. Bereft of any pills that might settle his stomach, he could only pray that his will power won out and he didn't splatter the Death Stalker with his puke.

" **Not a bad strategy, if you ask me** ," Phoenix commented. " **You aim it just right you might be able to blind the damn thing.** "

"Oh… shut up," he mumbled.

That had proved a mistake. The moment he uttered those words the Death Stalker stopped in its tracks and shifted all of its eyes upwards. With the joy ride now over Jaune might have been relieved were it not for the precarious situation he found himself in. Slowly, the stinger lowered itself until he was eye to eyes with the Death Stalker as he hung upside down. For a moment the two starred at one another. Neither of them made a move as both took a moment to consider the situation they were in. Sensing just how awkward things were becoming, Jaune tenuously waved at it with his free hand, for some odd reason studiedly expecting it to do the same with one of its pincers. Instead, it lashed out, attempting to snap him off it's stinger without taking out its tail in the process. Jaune reared back, maintaining his grip on the barb while maneuvering himself out of the way of the attack.

"Any more bright ideas?" he shouted, yelping as he flinched out of the way of another attack.

" **Just hold on. If what Merlot says is true, this thing should wise up and change tactics.** "

"And that works in our favor how?"

" **Not quite sure really.** "

Jaune wanted to complain but decided not to waste the energy. He needed to keep his focus on the creature to ensure he didn't end up snapped in two. Sure enough the Death Stalker seemed to wise up. All its attempts to rip Jaune from its stinger were proving more hazardous to itself than the boy. What ensued next, however, had Jaune wishing he'd just attempted to climb the walls instead. With vigorous back and forth motions the Death Stalker attempted to fling him from his tail like he was a bugger it had just picked out of its nose. Jaune's motion sickness returned with a vengeance in response to the motions, causing the boy to lose any control he might have had over his stomach.

"Uge!" The tell tale sound often heard by those unfortunate enough to share an airship ride with Jaune warned of the impending disaster that was about to take place. Despite its greater intelligence, the Death Stalker was not smart enough to interpret the sound for the warning that it was and thus was unprepared for the volley that assaulted its eyes.

Whether by some incredible ingenuity and precise aim or sheer dumb luck, the acrid projectile vomit struck hard and true as it covered the creature's eyes completely. It didn't take long for it to realize it was being attacked and through a manner that was wholly revolting. No longer concerned with the foreign creature that clutched tightly to its stinger, the Death Stalker instead lashed out widely, attempting to avenge itself of the attack that had rendered it blind. Its sporadic movements were too much for Jaune and before long his grip was wrenched lose. He sailed high and far, well above the walkway platforms and nearly into the stone wall. Thankfully gravity took point, bringing him back down to the ground but not before he managed to grab hold of the walkway edge with his metallic hand. With an audible groan of exhaustion and effort, Jaune pulled himself up, propping himself on his hands and legs as he took a moment to regain his composure.

" **Another brilliant plan perfectly executed,** " Phoenix's mocking tone echoed in his head.

"Uge!" Jaune replied, expelling yet another volley of vomit through the grates of the walkway.

" **I see my suggestion to blind it with your vomit proved to have some merit, eh champ?** "

"Shut up, Phoenix, or I swear to whatever Gods are listening that I will throw us back down there and bring our partnership to an abrupt end," Jaune threatened.

If his alter ego had a comment, he didn't notice as a large piece of rubble sailed over his head and impacted the wall, shattering into several pieces and dislodging a large portion of the wall as a result. Glancing at the hole it had left, he turned his attention back to the Death Stalker and saw something that made his blood run cold. The creature, having somehow liberated itself of his vomit, was tearing up portions of the ground and hurling them at him with incredible force. It's once green eyes were now a deep red, not unlike those of a regular Grimm but something more reminiscent of Yang Xio Long when her patience had reached its end and her semblance had activated. The thought of a Grimm with Yang's temperament did not sit well with Jaune and he quickly dodged out of the way as yet another rock was hurled his way, this time taking out the portion of the walk way he had been standing on and shacking the entirety of it as well.

" **Less talking, more moving,** " Phoenix's voice sounded, all semblance of humor absent from his voice.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Jaune said, dodging yet another projectile and readying himself for another.

Things were certainly not going his way. Granted, he'd managed to make it up onto the walkway giving him a height advantage over the Death Stalker but the damn beast had proved resourceful enough to render this perceived advantage completely irrelevant. At best he might be able to make it to one of the exits but that was assuming none of them were electronically locked by Merlot. Aside from that, the frequency at which he was being attacked would prove his undoing should he take too long attempting to open the door. Taking in the situation it was obvious he'd need to take care of the Death Stalker down below first before making his way out. The only question now was how did he kill a Grimm on steroids?

/-/

Ruby groaned, her head throbbing as she gazed up at the blinding sun overhead. Laying flat on the ground, it took her a moment to recall just what exactly had led to her waking up in this precarious position. She fought past the pain, trying to recall everything to the best of her ability. She could remember taking Zwei out to pee, hearing voices, two white fang grunts which Blake would have freaked to see, and then a strange earthquake. From there the pieces fell back into place as she remembered falling down into the cavern below. It was a long way down and, from the looks of things, she wouldn't be climbing her way out of here anytime soon. She could only hope that Zwei had made it back to her team to let them know where she was.

Coming to terms with the fact that she wouldn't be making it to the surface anytime soon, she instead decided to have a look around and figure out just where he'd ended up. From the looks of things, it seemed she had ended up in an underground tunnel. The crumbled ruins of buildings and what she assumed was the underground tunnel that connected to Vale greeted her. She could recall Dr. Oobleck mentioning something about this and with that came the realization that this place was also a mass graveyard for those who had been unable to escape or were left behind when the tunnels were sealed. A sickening, nauseous feeling bubbled in the pit of her stomach as she considered the thought of accidentally discovering someone's decaying corpse. This thought was quickly pushed aside as she remembered the Grimm would have disposed of any human remains but that did little to alleviate the uneasy feeling she had about being here.

The other thing that she found strange was the obvious lack of Grimm. Here she'd expected to find something, anything, but aside from the small pockets of Grimm she and her team had disposed of the previous day there was nothing here. While this was usually a positive factor, Ruby was more on edge than ever before. The total lack of Grimm combined with the two White Fang grunts she'd seen the other night could only mean that they had either killed them off or driven them away to prevent them from interfering with their operations. To make matters worse there was a very high chance that Roman Torchwick was here. The man himself was Huntsman trained and it showed. Alone and with Crescent Rose Ruby was a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, just prior to taking Zwei out for a midnight piss she'd left her weapon behind at the camp. Given the rather noticeable lack of Grimm in the area as well as her semblance, Ruby was confident she'd have been able to evade any stray creatures of darkness they came across. Zwei even had his aura unlocked and wasn't green when it came to taking down the creatures of darkness himself. He'd managed to keep their home safe in patch from the few strays that would occasionally show up so she didn't feel worried. Now, on the other hand, she was unarmed, in unfamiliar territory, and no doubt within a stone's throw of Roman and the White Fang's operations. She'd need to make her way out of here and fast.

"Well, I better get moving. An exit isn't going to find itself," she said as she began trotting off.

/-/

The bright morning sun illuminated Team RWBY's campsite high in the abandoned building. Due to the lack of a roof the sun was unimpeded as it shone down on the three girls and their teacher. While this should have prompted them to rise and greet the day, all four managed to somehow ignore this fact, choosing instead to sleep in rather than rise. They wouldn't have much of a chance, however, as the incessant barking of Yang's dog, Zwei, soon greeted them as the dog managed to make his back to the camp and up the two flights despite his short stubby legs. Like an annoying alarm clock he came barreling in, targeting each person in turn in an attempt to rouse them and lead them to where Ruby had fallen.

"Stupid dog," Blake mumbled as she turned over in her sleep.

"Cut it out, Zwei, it's too early for this," Yang complained.

Hearing Yang's voice Zwei instantly knew she was awake, or at least aware enough to bother, and he turned his attention on her.

"Zwei, go bother Ruby," Yang complained, attempting to shove the dog away.

When he didn't relent she cracked an eye open, ready to shut the pup up by force if necessary. Looking over in the fluff ball's direction, however, she noticed he was situated on top of Ruby's sleeping roll, barking like made. The absence of her sister, as well as Zwei's attitude, caused her big sister instincts to kick into gear and instantly she found herself awake.

"Ruby?"

She looked around, expecting to see her sister sitting on a ledge, looking through the scope of Crescent Rose as she scouted out the area. The only problem was that her mechanical scythe was folded up and set next to her sleeping roll. A jolt of fear coursed through Yang's body. Ruby never went anywhere without her weapon. She loved it more than anything. It was like a mecha-shifting safety blanket to the girl.

"Guys, get up, Ruby's missing!" Yang yelled as she sprang to her feet.

"What?" Weiss asked groggily.

"Yang, what are you yelling about?" Blake asked.

"Ruby's gone. She didn't take her weapon. I think something happened to her."

Hearing Ruby was missing and without her weapon, her teammates were instantly awake. They'd spent enough time with their pintsized leader to know some of her more notable quirks, especially when it came to her weapon. They sprang to their feet, weapons in hand as they spread out over the campsite to see if they could find her.

"Professor!"

"Doctor," Oobleck replied, sitting bolt upright but nonetheless still half-asleep if the groggy tone of his voice was anything to go by.

"Ruby's missing. I think something happened to her," Yang repeated.

"That is most unfortunate We shall need to locate her immediately."

"I think Zwei might know where she is. He was barking up a storm just a few moments ago."

"Hmm, it may be the creature knows what happened to his master. His barking must have been an attempt to gain our attention and warn us of what happened."

"Well, he has it. I say we break camp and go look for her. Now."

"Agreed. Lead the way young pup," Oobleck instructed.

Zwei wasted little time doing as he was told and immediately raced off back to where Ruby had fallen. For a dog his size he was incredibly fast despite his tiny legs. The girls and their teacher managed to keep him within their sight at all times, however, and it wasn't long before they reach their destination. Zwei stood at the edge of the pit, barking incessantly into the darkness below as if he expected someone to call back to him.

"Hmm," Oobleck murmured, crouching at the edge of the hole as he examined the ruble. "The ground here is unstable. Miss Rose must have ventured too close and fallen in."

"We have to go after her," Yang said, bending her knees in preparation to jump down.

"No, don't!" Oobleck cried out, stopping her just in time. "We've no idea where this hole leads or if it will spit you out where it did your sister. Odds are you'd end up somewhere else and we'd have two missing students to look for."

"We can't just leave her down there. She could be hurt."

"I understand that, Miss Xio Long. However, the area down below is a maze of tunnels, many of which may have collapsed and caved in with the onset of time. While getting in may be easy, find our way out could take valuable time, time we do not have. It would be better for us to find an alternate entrance and use her scroll to locate her position. That way we can find your missing leader while also securing a safe route out."

"Alright, so where do we start?"

Before Oobleck had a chance to answer a loud explosion echoed from the depths of the tunnels followed by a strong earthquake. The buildings around them shook violently with some of the older ones collapsing due to age and the force of the quake. Before long it ended just as quickly as it had started but no one moved for fear of a second one occurring and causing even more damage than the first.

"What was that?" Weiss asked.

"An explosion of some kind. Someone is obviously here and doing who knows what. I suggest we hurry. An explosion like that will no doubt attract the Grimm and cause the ground to become more unstable."

The girls nodded their affirmation and fell in line to follow their instructor. Yang took point with Zwei hot on her heals as she followed their teacher. Fueled by worry and apprehension, she prayed to whatever gods were listening that her sister would be alright. She also made a silent oath that, should she find her sister hurt she would make those responsible pay for what they did. She hoped they wouldn't be too late to stop whatever was going on and get out of here before another earthquake brought the whole area down on their heads.

/-/

Jaune dove out of the way of another slab of rock, narrowly missing becoming a human pancake against the cave wall. Several minutes of ducking and dodging had done little to cool down the Death Stalker's temperament. If anything its continued failed attempts to kill him only seemed to irritate it more, a trait that Jaune wondered was something all Grimm possessed or was simply a result of its heightened intelligence. In the end it didn't really matter as he was quickly running out of walkway. Before long he would find himself back on the ground and at the mercy of the creature below. While he'd managed to evade its pursuits before, he doubted he'd have much of a chance now, especially with just how much more determined it was to kill him.

"There has to be a way out of here."

" **The only way out of here is through puck face down there** ," Phoenix pointed out. " **So long as he's alive we won't have enough room to figure out an escape plan.** "

"Do you have any ideas on how to kill it then? I'm open to suggestions but I'm shooting down any frontal assaults. That thing's too strong and heavily armored for me to take head on."

Before Phoenix could answer a large explosion sounded from somewhere in the distance. The ground shook violently, causing the cave and everything in it to rock back and forth. It was a momentary reprieve from the Death Stalker's onslaught as the creature was unable to attack or move very well despite its numerous legs. Overhead several large stalactites rattled, threatening to fall but staying firmly attached to the cave ceiling regardless.

" **I might just have a plan** ," Phoenix chimed in.

"Yea, I already know what you're going to say."

" **And?** "

"It's suicidal but it's the best chance we've got."

Ignoring the silent chuckle from his companion, he took a running start before vaulting off the walkway and towards the nearest stalactite. Extending his metal arm blade, he managed to skewer onto it before pulling himself up higher. He maneuvered around, shimmying his way up to the largest stalactite he could see. Down below the Death Stalker watched with obvious curiosity. It didn't last long as the creature began pelting the ceiling with projectiles in an effort to shot him down. So much for a heightened intelligence. Damn thing was going to bring the whole roof down on top of them.

" **That's the idea,** " Phoenix chimed in cheerily.

Jaune ignored him and began using his blade to start carving the stalactite from the ceiling. If he could remove just enough of the stone his added weight might be enough to bring it down on top of the Death Stalker below. He chipped away, all the while maneuvering around the creature's incessant attacks. One way or another this roof was caving in and hopefully he'd have time enough to get out of the way. Before he could finish, however, another explosion sounded and with it came another massive quake. Jaune clung onto the stalactite, feeling it woggle and watching as the rock began to crack. It wasn't long before the whole thing detached itself from the ceiling along with several of its companions and all at once they fell to the floor. Thrown off balance by the quake the Death Stalker didn't have time enough to react as mounds of rock came crashing down from above, smashing it to dust as it was buried alive beneath the rock.

Jaune threw himself out away from the falling debris, rolling and impacting the ground hard. His aura took the brunt of the impact and, once the dust was settled, he gazed upon his handy work. The beast was dead. Finally. While not exactly as he had planned, the surprise quake had still been welcome enough. There was a chance the creature might have moved out of the way just in the nick of time, leaving Jaune open to a counter attack. This way, though, it was almost impossible that the creature would have survived.

His victory was soon interrupted, however, by a loud click and a beeping noise that resounded throughout the cave. Jaune looked up to the walk way to see one of the security doors with a glowing green light above it, indication that it had been unlocked. It seemed Merlot was being a good sport, either that or he was simply inviting him into another trap. Regardless, Jaune had nowhere else to go and, after clambering up the metal walkway, he pushed his way through the door and into the room beyond.

Jaune entered the room cautiously, his eyes widening in shock when he took in just what was encased within. Several large glass tubes big enough to house a single person were filled with what appeared to be a strange green liquid. The creatures inside were grimm, or what he assumed had once been creatures of Grimm, but their features were horribly distorted to the point that it was impossible to figure out what they might have been originally. Moving further inside he found a large glass wall that looked into a holding chamber. The sterile white walls within were stained with what appeared to be fresh blood. Who it belonged to he couldn't say nor did he wish to know. His attention was soon drawn away from it by the sound of a computer kicking on. The large monitor illuminated and a familiar face stared back at him. Above the monitor a red light flashed, indicating that the room was being recorded, ensuring Merlot would be able to see and hear him.

"I must admit; I'm impressed you survived my little experiment. She had you on the ropes a for a time. I'm almost disappointed I didn't prepare some snacks to eat while I enjoyed the show."

" _Can't say I'm very impressed with your experiments, Merlot. For all their heightened intelligence, they're still Grimm._ "

"That's true. As much as I hate to admit it, the creatures of Grimm are quite limited in their capabilities. Their capacity to evolve isn't as broad as humanity's or faunus. Still, I gained some valuable data from this confrontation. I'll be sure to put it to good use. Oh, and before I forget, a little something for your troubles."

There was the sound of keys on a keyboard being pressed from his end before a soft beeping noise followed. A small compartment opened, revealing an alcove from which a memory stick was ejected. Jaune hesitated for a moment before taking the memory stick out. He examined it, looking for any obvious signs that it might be some sort of bomb or grenade but could see nothing.

"Consider that a parting gift."

" _What for? I killed your pet. Why reward me?"_

"Despite what you may think, Mr. Arc, I do value failure just as much as success. What transpired today will go towards improving my future experiments immensely. Besides, I never intended for my pet to win. She was merely a distraction while my companions made preparations for the main event."

" _What do you mean?"_

Merlot chuckled darkly, "Now, now, Mr. Arc, it wouldn't do for me to give away the whole game just yet. Things are only starting to get interesting. Speaking of, the information contained on that memory stick will be of great interest to you. I'd suggest you take a gander at its contents when you next get a chance."

" _And why would I do that? Chances are you placed a surveillance virus or something worse on it. All I need to do is insert it into a computer and I'm compromised._ "

"While I'd ask that you trust me when I say you'll find nothing of the sort on that device, I know you won't listen. Instead, I'll let you in on a little secret. The atrocities committed here at Mountain Glenn, the things we were permitted to do under the Council's protection, they run much deeper than you know. People you thought you could trust had their hands buried deep within the sins of this place. I'd suggest you reconsider who you can count as your allies before taking a look at what's contained on it. Until we meet again, Mr. Arc."

The screen and the red light shut off, indicating that Merlot was no longer watching him. This did little to put Jaune at ease, however. After everything that had happened the man had brushed it off like it was nothing and then rewarded him for his efforts. Despite nearly dying a second time at the pincers of a Death Stalker, Jaune couldn't help but feel things had gone too easily. The timing of the explosions for one had been too opportunistic and the fact that Merlot had made no mention of their meddling in his fight made him wonder what the man knew. Still, he had what he'd come for. Mission accomplished, he guessed.

It would be another series of doors and tunnels that eventually lead him back outside. These had looked more new, more well kept, indicating they'd been installed recently. It seemed Lazarus' suspicion was correct. Merlot had been working out of this area but for how long he couldn't say. It was only a moment later when his ear piece began emitting static again, this time clearing up enough to allow him to make out the person on the other end.

"-uane. Jaune, are you there? Can you here me?" Lazarus' voice came through.

" _I'm here. Never thought I'd be so glad to hear you voice again. I got the information we came for and I'm ready for extraction._ "

"I'm afraid we can't pull you out just yet."

" _What do you mean?"_

"When we lost contact with you we started scanning the area. We figured Merlot was using some sort of jamming device to prevent our communications from getting through. While we were unsuccessful in locating your position we did discover something equally important and frightening."

" _I'm guessing this is a "good news, bad news" scenario?_ " Jaune asked.

Before Lazarus could answer another explosion fired off along with a subsequent quake. The ground shook violently beneath Jaune's feet, nearly throwing him to the ground as he struggled to maintain his balance.

"This is more of a "bad news, worse news" scenario actually."

" _Lazarus, what's going on?"_

"You recall how I mentioned that there were tunnels leading from Mountain Glenn into Vale?"

" _Yes but I thought you said those had been sealed off._ "

"They were but someone has been excavating them with reckless abandon. We've been seeing massive seismic activity. Someone's trying to clear the tunnels but for what purpose we're not quite sure yet."

Jaune took a moment to consider himself. Thinking back to what Merlot had said, an idea sparked in his head. " _Roman._ "

"What?"

" _At the White Fang rally. He mentioned something about a White Fang operation that was taking place down south. This area is directly south of Vale. I'm wiling to bet the White Fang are behind those explosions._ "

"Whatever they're doing it can't be good. We need you to go investigate and report back to us. If you can stop what's happening, then do it. If not, do what you can to stall their operations. I'll do what I can from my end to warn the people of Vale of what' happening."

" _I'm on my way. Just send me the location of the explosions on the map and I'll head down there._ "

"One last thing, Jaune. While you were missing our search also picked up some unexpected guests in the area. According to the data we extracted from the CCT, they're students from Beacon along with a teacher. Apparently, they're performing a reconnaissance training mission in the area."

 _Please don't be RWBY. Please don't be RWBY. Please don't be RWBY_ Jaune repeated in his mind, his fingers crossed on his left hand as he waited for the news.

"They're designation is team RWBY"

_Fuck!_

"They're being led by one Dr. Oobleck, the school's history teacher. The last ping from their scrolls indicates they were headed towards the source of the explosions. The weird thing is we only picked up three of the girls. Ruby, the team leader, was missing. Her scroll is either damaged or the signal is too weak for us to locate her."

" _She's alive. If I know Ruby, she'll be in the thick of this mess. I'd better get moving if I stand a chance of pulling her ass out of the fire._ "

"I'm sending you their location now. Good luck, Jaune, and good hunting."

Jaune didn't bother replying. He waited for the map to update on his view screen before taking off towards the source of the signals. All the while he silently prayed that Ruby would be alright. Knowing her, she'd be the first one into battle, never thinking twice before engaging the enemy. He would just have to beat her to it if only to prevent her from doing something incredibly stupid.

/-/

This was incredibly stupid. At least, that's what Ruby assumed her partner Weiss would have characterized this as. Granted, she hadn't exactly thought things out before she attempted to sneak in, take a look around, and then leave. She didn't know how Blake managed to do it all the time. It must have something to do with being a cat faunus. Regardless, she'd barely managed to get close enough to see that the White Fang were using explosives to clear the tunnel leading into Vale as well as stockpiling the train with them along with several crates of dust and some rather large cages. Soon after, however, she'd been spotted. While her semblance allowed her to move quickly, it was detrimental when it came to overcoming obstacles. The one thing she wasn't counting on was the fact that Roman's cane could shoot out and latch onto her like a grappling hock. Now she was tied up and gaged, a prisoner in the White Fang encampment.

Two White Fang grunts stood as her guards in the large tent. They were both dressed in the usual White Fang uniform one of which had his glasses taped over the mask, effectively making it look less intimidating in the process. Looking around, there wasn't much in the way of anything useful. Due to the fact that she was effectively tied to the chair both guards were relaxed and had their backs to her. There was little expectation that she would manage to break free of her bindings and attack them from behind or attempt to escape. They soon stood at attention, however, when the front flap opened to permit three people entrance into the tent. Roman Torchwick entered, smoking a signature cigar, while being flanked by the multicolor haired girl Neo and a rather large and intimidating White Fang member who lugged a chainsaw behind him.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't little red," Roman said in his signature mocking tone. "You know I'd say this is a surprise but, considering how often you seem to crash the party, I'm starting to wonder if we might have a leak somewhere that might need to be plugged."

The manner in which he spoke had the two White Fang grunts shuffling uneasily. It was obvious to them, as well as Ruby, what exactly he meant by that statement. What made it all the more intimidating was the overall fact that Roman wouldn't be at all opposed to getting his hands dirty. Hell, he might even take some sick pleasure out of the whole thing.

"So, little red, what brings you to my neck of the woods, hmm?"

"Mphf, mmm, erm," Ruby said, attempting and failing greatly to try and speak through her gage.

"Sorry, could you speak up, I didn't catch that last part," Roman said mockingly, raising a hand next to his ear to add to his taunt.

Ruby simply glared daggers at the man, earning a chuckle from him before he snapped his fingers. One of the grunts moved forward, stepping behind Ruby to remove the gage before returning to his position at the tent flap.

"Alright, now, same question."

"I'm here to stop you," Ruby declared.

Roman rolled his eyes, "Well, you're off to an excellent start. I'm betting the fact that you got caught was all part of the plan?"

"My team is on their way. Once they get here, we'll stop you."

"Well then, you'll all have a chance to die together. Gage her," Roman instructed. As one of the grunts struggled to replace the gage over her mouth, Roman spoke as he left, "you've no idea what's coming for you, red. The things she's got planned are going to shake the very foundations of Remnant. I'm simply looking out for number one. I'd suggest you do the same."

/-/

Jaune crouched on a ledge overlooking the White Fang encampment. From his position he had a clear view of everything going on down below and was high up enough to be out of everyone's view. He could see the train they had repaired as well as the set of tracks leading into the tunnel. Various vehicles could be seen going into and coming out of the tunnel, each one coming back with several tunes of rubble that was dumped off the edge of a ravine. Of the train he could see grunts loading various crates, several of which were stamped with the insignia of the SDC, an obvious sign that the stolen dust had ended up here. What quickly grabbed his attention, though, was a large tent from which he saw Roman Torchwick along with his right hand woman Neo and a rather nasty looking White Fang member emerge. He waited until all three had ascended the ramp to the train before turning his attention back to the tent. It was unmarked, meaning it could be anything, but the simple fact that Roman had been inside made him curious as to what may lay within.

He made his way down, careful to keep tract of where everyone was around him. Slipping past shipping crates and rubble, he quickly found himself outside the back entrance of the tent. From inside he could hear the faint sound of voices. They were probably guards though it sounded like they were on the other side. Taking his blade, he slowly cut a slit up the back, enough for him to crawl through without drawing attention. As soon as he was inside he was surprised by how bare it was. He expected it to be some makeshift office or a meeting room of some kind. Instead it was a hostage tent and Jaune had to suppress the groan that threatened to rise from his throat when he recognized who they'd captured. Leave it to Ruby to end up in the thick of things. He contemplated leaving her here. Her team wasn't far behind, if the signals from their scrolls were any indication, but he decided against it. There was no telling what they had planned for the young huntress. Better to free her now than leave her and wonder if she was alright.

He crept up from behind, thankful the girl was gagged but covering her mouth all the same to stifle any noise. The moment her silver eyes caught sight of him they widened for a moment before calming. He made a shushing motion with his finger over his covered mouth before quickly cutting the bands around her arms and legs. All throughout the guards had remained unaware of their presence. Jaune sauntered over, hearing their quiet conversation that had kept them from noticing his presence. A light tap on their shoulders brought them back to reality, however.

"What?"

"Huh?"

They didn't get a chance to utter anything more before Jaune knocked them out. Placing a hand at the back of their heads, he slammed them together with enough force to knock them unconscious without causing too much harm. They slumped to the ground, moaning in pain but otherwise out of commission.

" _You know, last time we meet I thought I asked you girls to leave this to the proper authorities,_ " he said, turning to look at Ruby.

"It wasn't my fault. I fell down here by accident. Had it not been for that earthquake I wouldn't have been captured," she argued.

" _So the fact that you and your team are in this area is coincidence then?_ "

"We're here on a training mission."

" _A training mission that just happens to be south of Vale, in the exact place Roman had said the White Fang were gathering,_ " he pointed out.

Ruby noticeably flinched, a reaction that did not go unnoticed by him. "S-so? You can't prove this was on purpose. It was completely coincidental."

Jaune smirked beneath his mask. The way Ruby became flustered was all the proof he needed to confirm his suspicions. Sure, he didn't have any proof on hand at the moment but he was fairly certain that Lazarus could find something. Right now, though, he needed to get her back to her team and get them out of here. Whatever Roman planned to do with that train, he would need them out of the way so he could focus on the mission.

" _Come on, your team should be close by. We'll get you all reunited and then you can all leave. Just stick with me, follow my lead, and we should get out of here soon Miss Rose._ "

"It's Ruby," he said, "but you already know that, don't you Jaune?"

It was now his turn to react. While his training enabled him to maintain his composure, the silence that followed all but sealed his fate. He struggled for something to say, some sort of denial that she might believe, but the longer he took the worse the implications became. By the time he finally did find his voice it was already too late.

" _Miss Rose-_ "

"It's true, isn't it," she said, raising her voice in a manner that might have drawn unwanted attention except for all the noise outside drowning them out. "It really is you, isn't Jaune? You've been alive all this time."

" _How did you find out?_ " he asked, realizing the futility of attempting to lie any further.

"A friend from that night at the docks. Sh-My friend managed to get some of your blood and used it to find out your identity. It's how we knew you were Archangel."

" _It was Penny, wasn't it?"_

"How did you-?"

" _So you all know then?_ " he cut her off.

"Yes, all of us," she confirmed.

" _Who else?_ "

"Just Penny. No one else outside our team. We didn't really think anyone else would believe us."

That much Jaune could agree with. While the threat of his identity being exposed was a scary thought, he knew that they'd be hard pressed to find anyone who might believe them. Their recent exploits and interferences would only solidify that fact as whatever trust they had built with the teachers was no doubt on a shaky foundation at this point.

" _Well, now you know. We should get going then,_ " he said, pushing aside the subject to focus on the task at hand but Ruby wasn't having it.

"She blamed herself," Ruby blurted out.

" _Ruby- "_

"Weiss," Ruby cut him off, taking a decisive step towards him. "After you supposedly died she blamed herself for what happened. She refused to believe she didn't have a fault in it. No matter what we said or tried she was convinced your death was on her head. It tore her up inside. It hurt to see how much she was suffering and to be unable to do anything to help her. I'm her leader, Jaune. I'm her partner and her best friend but I was powerless to do anything except be there for her when she needed a shoulder to cry on. She did that a lot, you know. She cried a lot and even cried at times when she thought she was alone, when she assumed no one was watching. I had already lost one best friend and I was slowly losing another.

Then you showed up as Archangel and Penny found out who you were. I didn't know what to think. I should have been happy. I should have been excited. My first friend at Beacon was alive. But I wasn't. You know why? You avoided us. You pretended we didn't exist. You chastised us for doing what we were trained to do while you went out every night fighting Roman and the White Fang. You acted like we didn't matter and that somehow hurt more than thinking you were dead. If felt like you never cared about us at all.

I just want to know why. Why Jaune? Why did you hide the fact that you were alive? Why did you let us all think you'd died and let Weiss suffer like that? Was it so important to you that we think you were dead?"

"I should be dead!"Jaune snapped. At some point during the conversation he had turned off his voice modulator, ensuring that it was his voice, not Archangel's, that Ruby would hear. The sudden change in his voice caught Ruby off guard but the context of what he'd just said kept her silent a bit longer.

"What do you mean?" she asked, finally regaining her composure.

"I should be dead, Ruby. What happened in the Emerald forest, what happened between me and that Death Stalker, it should have killed me, would have killed me. The fact that I was dead was never meant to be a lie. The fact is I should be buried beneath that memorial at Beacon."

"Jaune, I- "

Ruby's words died in her mouth. She didn't know what to say. She'd expected something else, some lame excuse along the lines of being a real live super hero like in the comics. Instead, Jaune had thrown her a curve ball the likes of which she hadn't expected. To say that he should be dead, that everything they'd suffered through all of last year would have had substance, it left her questioning just how she should handle the situation.

"That day, when the Death Stalker attacked, when we both went over the ravine, I thought it was over," he recounted. It had been a long time since he'd last thought about that day. Regardless the events were still fresh in his mind, as if he'd just lived them, and they spilled from his mouth without any resistance on his part.

"We fell into the river, the current taking us and dragging us beneath the waves. I managed to swim to the surface. It took all my strength just to stay above the water, to stay alive, but what I didn't count on was the Death Stalker's overwhelming desire to see me dead. It grabbed onto my arm, dragging me beneath the waves and into the depths below. No matter how hard I struggled its grip was iron clad. I tried using Crocea Mors to pry it open but nothing worked. I was on death's door and it was either struggle until the water took me or find another way."

By this point his metallic arm was eye level with both himself and Ruby. The young girl gazed at it, seeing her image reflected in the polished metal. Her eyes widened as the realization of what he'd had to do, what he'd chosen to do dawned on her. "You know, I've read its incredibly painful, sawing through bone. I've heard stories of people in desperate situations who removed their own limbs simply to survive. The adrenaline pumping through their bodies is so intense that they can't even feel what they're doing. Thinking back, I can't even recall doing it. All I remember is I made a choice." He looked across the room over at her, his red and orange mix contact lenses gazing into her silver orbs. What struck Ruby wasn't the color of his eyes but the intensity. Even through the contacts, she could sense the determination he had now as well as then. "I choose to live."

"Then why? Why didn't we find you? If you survived the attack how come no one found you? All they found was your sword and…" she hesitated, her eyes glancing at his arm, as if she knew what she wanted to say but couldn't.

"You would have found me," he confirmed before continuing, "but by that time I would have been dead. The exhaustion along with the blood lose from my severed limb would have been too much for me to handle. Aura can only do so much. It can't perform miracles. Luckily I was found by someone. He found me, half dead and knocking on the Grimm Reaper's door, and took me into his care. He fixed me up, gave me this arm, trained me, and gave me a new purpose. This past year I've been hunting someone, someone very powerful, intelligent and dangerous."

"What do you want with him?"

"Justice," he said simply. "That monster, that Death Stalker, it was a creature of his own making. It may have been a Grimm once but what he did to it made it something far worse. My mission is to hunt him down wherever he may be, destroy anything else he's experimented on, and bring him to justice."

"So you're saying you want to kill him?" Ruby asked with exasperated disappointment.

"If it comes to that, yes. However, I have every intention of bringing him in alive. What happened to me, what I suffered through and what I made you all suffer through, that's something I don't want anyone else to have to endure. I'm bringing a stop to this."

"Alright, so when you do that, what then? What happens after?"

The question, simple yet deep, caused Jaune to hesitate. He hadn't considered, seriously considered, what he'd do after everything was said and done. He'd come here to Vale, to Beacon, to become a Huntsman. That career was shot, however, and any chance he might have had at living it was buried beneath that memorial. Even his life as Phoenix was something that would one day have to come to a close. Even before all that, however, there was still his relationship with Lazarus to consider. Recent events had given him pause and left him wondering just how much he could truly trust that man. The information given to him by Merlot promised to shed light over so much darkness but he wasn't willing to just up and trust the man who'd caused him so much pain and saw it as nothing more than valuable research data. Regardless, that was all stuff he'd have to consider later. There was work still to be done and they' wasted enough time talking.

"I don't know," he admitted, "but that's not important now. I came here to stop Roman and the White Fang. Whatever it is they're doing with that train it can't be good."

"I heard them talking earlier. The train's headed for Vale. I'm not sure what they're planning to do, though."

"They've been clearing the tunnels recently. Those explosions were their doing along with those earthquakes. I'm willing to bet good lien that they plan to open a breach at the end into Vale and use it to allow Grimm into the city."

"What? That's terrible. We have to stop them."

"I plan on it," Jaune agreed. "You, however, need to get back to your team. I'm not going to put your life in needless danger."

"But I can help," she argued.

"No offense, Ruby, but you're completely useless without Crescent Rose," he pointed out, causing the girl's face to turn red from embarrassment. "Besides, even if you were armed I still wouldn't let you come along. It's too dangerous."

"I can still help. Those White Fang Grunts aren't much of a problem. Hardly any of them have training or their auras unlocked," she pointed out.

"That may be but that doesn't mean they can't still point a gun and shot. Those train cars will be narrow and won't afford us too many places to hide. One stray bullet is all it will take to ignite a dust crate and takes us all out. Besides, I'm more concerned with how you'll manage to protect yourself once we find Roman or his little henchwoman."

Ruby's eyes sank to the ground. As much as she hated to admit it, Jaune had several good points. Without Crescent Rose she was useless in a fight and those dust crates were extremely volatile. Even she would have a difficult time fighting any of the White Fang grunts in those narrow cars without worrying about hitting one of the crates. Still, she didn't want to just sit around and wait for her team. She was supposed to be the hero not the damsel in distress.

"Your team's on their way," he said, taking a quick peak out the tent flap. "Wait here, regroup with them, then get yourselves to safety. Understand?"

"Only if you promise you'll be careful," she said, giving him an intense glare.

"I'll do my best," he said and hurried from the tent.

/-/

Ruby watched as Jaune ran up and ducked inside the last train car. Already she could hear the sound of battle, obvious signs that her teammates were nearby. With any luck they'd make it here soon and they could join Jaune in his mission to stop Roman. Once they did that, though, what next? Ever since they discovered his identity, she and her team had been hunting Archangel in an effort to get some answers. Now she had them but the sense of relief she'd expected hadn't come with it. Instead, there was only heartache. To know what Jaune had been put through and the fact their efforts would have been in vain regardless stung worse than anything she'd ever experienced in life. Still, there were several other questions she needed answered like who had saved him and where he had been for the past year.

An explosion from nearby prompted her to go out and see who it was. Sure enough blazing golden hair billowed behind her sister Yang as she tore through a group of White Fang members. Crimson red eyes gazed upon the scene around her but the moment they caught sight of her they calmed to a subtle violet. Without hesitation she tore across the backfield with a speed to rival even Ruby's own semblance. In an instant she grabbed her in a bone shattering hug, one that left the tiny girl thankful she had her aura to protect her.

"Ruby, you're alive! Thank the gods!" she cheered, releasing her a moment later only to gaze at her with a reignited temper. "Don't ever scare me like that again. Do you know how worried I was?"

"It's not like I did it on purpose," Ruby whined. "It wasn't even my fault. I took Zwei out to use the little doggie's room, noticed a couple of White Fang members, and decided to follow them. I was planning to come back to camp and wake you all but an earthquake caused the road to collapse and I fell."

"Yea, we figured as much," Yang said, calming down somewhat. "By the way, I brought you a present."

From behind her back Yang produced Crescent Rose and gave it to her sister. Ruby squealed, clutching her baby as she cuddled it close to her.

"Oh, I'll never leave home without you ever again," she coed.

"I don't doubt that," Yang agreed.

"Ruby!"

Glancing up Ruby saw her remaining teammates along with Dr. Oobleck and Zwei running their way. Behind them was a mass of defeated and unconscious White Fang members. The moment they reached her Weiss scoped her up in an uncharacteristic hug, leaving all of them surprised.

"Don't you ever do anything like that again, do you hear me?" she chided.

"I promise, I promise," Ruby agreed, holding her hands up in surrender.

"Miss Rose, it's good to see you're well. I dare say I assumed the worst when we discovered your absence," Oobleck said.

"I'm fine Prof- I mean Doctor. We can talk later, though. We need to stop that train. It's headed for Vale and they've stocked it full of dust crates and explosives."

"That is quite unfortunate news. No doubt the White Fang plan to open a hole in Vale to admit entry for the Grimm. All that negativity and panic is sure to attract them. We'll need to act fast if we're to put a wrench in their plans."

"You should know that Roman Torchwick is on board too, sir, and one more thing," she said, glancing at each of her teammates in turn before adding, "Archangel's here as well."

The looks of surprise she received from everyone were not unexpected but her teammate's expressions soon changed to match their inner most thoughts. She had a lot to tell them but right now they had more important things to focus on.

"Archangel is here?' Dr. Oobleck asked.

"Yes, he helped rescue me from the White Fang before boarding the train. I think he plans to stop it or at least lessen the damage."

"I see. Well then, it seems we have an unexpected ally in our midst. We'll need to hurry then. The trains starting to move and we'll need to be on board when it reaches its destination."

The girls nodded in agreement and quickly followed their teacher as they clambered aboard the train. All of them had their minds on Archangel, on Jaune, and finding him as soon as possible. However, unlike Ruby, three of the four were not as well informed on the situation as they should be. Ruby could only hope that she found him first, if only to act as a buffer between him and her teammates while he related everything to them just as he had done for her. One thing was for certain. Today was going to be exhausting.

/-/

Lazarus watched the numbers on the elevator pad change with unbridled impatience. He tapped his foot loudly on the floor, cursing just how slow the elevator was moving or the fact that Ozpin chose to keep his office in such a high tower. Would it not make more sense for him to have it down on the main campus where he was more accessible? Then again, the simple fact that he chose not too made sense given everything he knew about the man. The moment he reached his destination a soft ping sounded and the doors opened. He was quickly greeted by the view of three familiar faces, one of which was less than happy to see him again. He ignored James completely, focusing instead on Ozpin as he strode up to his desk.

"Oz, we need to talk."

"Can it wait, Lazarus, we're in a meeting?" Ozpin asked.

"No, Ozpin, this is urgent."

"Isn't everything with you urgent?" Ironwood mocked. "Honestly, there are channels in place for this sort of thing. If you needed to speak with Ozpin then- "

"Vale is about to come under attack! Several thousand lives are in danger and you want to lecture me of protocol?" Lazarus snapped.

"What do you mean Vale is about to be attacked?" Glynda asked, her attention now solely on him.

"I've received news of a White Fang attack that's headed for Vale. They're going to use the old tunnels from Mountain Glenn to open a breach and flood the city with Grimm."

"Mountain Glenn? But those tunnels were sealed years ago," Glynda pointed out.

"Indeed. Besides, the White Fang are terrorists. Something of that magnitude wouldn't have gone unnoticed by my armada."

"Maybe if you pulled that pompous head of yours out of your ass you'd notice the impending thread headed for Vale and possibly have prevented some of your more embarrassingly recent failures like the incident at the docks or the lose of your Paladins," Lazarus shot back.

"How dare you say- "

"Enough!" Ozpin interrupted, showing more emotion than anyone was used to seeing. He fixed his gaze on Lazarus, his expression serious as he asked, "you're sure about this?"

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't, Ozpin, you know that."

"Why come to me, then? Why not go to the council directly?"

"You know why. The council won't listen to a word I say. It was better to come to you. They'll listen to you. Please, we need to act quickly. I need you to trust me on this. If I'm right, we can save the lives of thousands and thwart an attack on Vale before it happens. If I'm wrong, you can say it was a bad tip and it won't be any skin off your nose. You're the most admired and respected man in Vale, no one will question it if it comes from you."

Ozpin leaned back in his seat, taking a moment to consider what Lazarus had just said. He wanted to trust his friend, to believe that what he was saying was true, but he wasn't quite sure. Of course, the recent activity from the White Fang had been rather odd. Even here in Vale, their history with the terrorist organization had been rather sparse and quiet. Recently, however, they'd been much more bold and violent. Something was happening but he wasn't quite sure what it was. Still, he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Glynda, contact every available hunter here in Vale and collect some of the older students. I want everyone who's willing and able to converge on the spot. Better for us to be proactive than reactive."

"Of course, Ozpin. I already have several teams in mind," the woman said, falling into step without a moment's hesitation.

"James, I need you to send whatever forces you can to reinforce our huntsmen."

"Ozpin, you can't be serious," James started to argue.

"Please, old friend. I know you and Lazarus have a history but we need to set that aside for the greater good. Lives could be in danger. Are you honestly willing to sit back and leave them to fend for themselves?"

The look on James' face said it all. He didn't appreciate being guilt tripped into this but he wasn't about to deny his friend his help, especially when Atlas and Vale were such strong allies and he the leader of their military. If word got back that he'd allowed his pride to take precedence, it would mean the end of his career in all three of his offices.

"I take it you have an idea of where this attack is going to take place?" Ozpin asked, returning his gaze to Lazarus.

"As I said, it's where the tunnels leading to Mountain Glenn are buried."

"Then we'll need to act fast. That is a very public and often crowded area. Once it begins, lives will be in danger."

"You have no idea," Lazarus agreed.

* * *

**If there's one thing I can guarantee its that when I'm given nearly half a day between flights with nothing to do aside from sit and read or work on fanfiction chapters, you'll find I can get a great deal done.**

**I've been working up to this crucial point in the story. Obviously it's been something that's a long time coming. I've often had people wanting to know Jaune's overall reasons for keeping himself hidden from his friends or why he decided to maintain the guise of why he'd dead. While this doesn't explain everything, it is a small step in bringing to light both for his friends as well as for my audience some of the underlying feelings he's had in regards to everything. I'll obviously have something special in store for him and Weiss as I believe their confrontation should be a little more private and certainly something that goes a little more in depth into how they see one another.**


End file.
